His Future Is In The Past
by andremoi
Summary: With Ganon destroyed, the Champions gone and Zelda crowned Queen, Link ponders his future and works to recover a past love. This story begins 2 years post game. Art is by Nurple(twitter dot com/nurpleynurple) and used by permission.
1. Remembering

_Summary: With Ganon destroyed, the Champions killed, and Zelda crowned Queen, Link ponders his future and works to recover a past love._

This entire narrative is taken from notes written by Link that he carried with him at all times.

 **Chapter 1 - Remembering**

Link woke up suddenly to a clap of thunder and the sound of heavy rain beating against the window above his bed. The dawn sky was just starting to brighten. He could do without the thunder, but the sound of the steady rainfall that followed was soothing. He had a meeting later that day with Dr. Purah at the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab not far from his house, but there was still plenty of time, and there was no hurry to get up. He lay there, his thoughts wandering.

A lot had happened in the past two years since Calamity Ganon's defeat. Monsters were pretty much gone now, the few remaining hiding out in remote parts of Hyrule. Once the Blood Moons stopped restoring monsters, it was no longer futile to destroy them, and that had been one of the first tasks. People traveled safely now. The Yiga Clan could still cause trouble, but the Gerudo were doing their best to keep an eye on them, and they were demoralized over Ganon's defeat. They were lying low for now.

Re-building Hyrule was now the top priority. He smiled at how successful the Bolson Construction company had become. They had plenty of workers now and plenty to do, and some healthy competition as well. And, thank Hylia, they no longer had time to hang around his house every day.

Yes, the construction everywhere was going well, but there was one building, in particular, he was especially interested in, and that was the Temple of Time. The building itself had been repaired, but he was more interested in what stories of old had described was within it and whether that could be restored too. The legends said that on more than one occasion, his predecessors had been able to travel back in time to aid their mission. That was the topic for his meeting with Dr. Purah.

He had taken this house in the quiet farming community of Hateno Village to be far away from the hustle and bustle of Hyrule Castle. People left him alone here. His comfortable little house on a hill afforded him a place to relax and reflect on his life on those occasions he wasn't traveling. It was when he was home that he spent time recording everything he could remember in a journal he was keeping. And that was harder for him than it sounded because he had lost all his memory. When he awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection a little over two years ago, his mind was a blank.

When he first awoke, he spent weeks recovering the memories he could from Zelda's Sheikah Slate. But those were only memories of times he had spent with her. He also regained some memories from visiting the major villages in Hyrule and talking with people there. That helped him remember a little about Urbosa, Revali, Daruk, and Mipha, his fellow Champions. And that traveling bard, Kass, had told him of the times Zelda recruited each of the Champions. Then later Kass found that group picture Mipha requested at Hyrule Castle and it triggered a memory of that occasion. The last memory he had of all of them together was that fateful moment by the East Gate of Lanayru Road when Ganon attacked, and each of the Champions raced back to their Divine Beast. They had trusted in that ancient technology from ten thousand years ago, but Ganon had learned his lesson and outsmarted all of them. He never saw the Champions again, save in spirit form.

But he had lived a life beyond those few memories he had recovered from the Sheikah Slate and the others he had stumbled on. And when his duty to Hyrule was finished, he wanted to learn more about who he was and the people in his life. Even when he awoke from the shrine and first began his quest to save Hyrule, there were hints of other important things in his life, other people and places that must have meant a lot to him at one time.

The most fruitful source of information came from Zora's Domain. For better or worse, quite a few people there had remembered him from over one hundred years ago. Some of the older ones hated him, blaming him for what happened. But others recognized him as a friend and former playmate. From conversations, he learned he must have spent a good deal of time there. And when he spoke with King Dorephan and Prince Sidon, it became clear there was someone very special in his life who had lived there and was the reason he spent so much time in Zora's Domain.

Princess Mipha was much more than a fellow Champion. She was a childhood friend who had fallen in love with him and crafted an exquisite set of Zora armor in the expectation they would marry. At the time he learned all this, he could barely remember her or how he had felt about her. His only memory of her back then was the one triggered by looking at her statue. They were sitting together atop Divine Beast Vah Ruta as she healed a wound on his forearm and promised to care for him. But he had made some progress recovering more memories since then, including ones the Sheikah Slate couldn't help him with.

Speaking of the Sheikah Slate, he no longer had it. Zelda had taken it back from him after their victory in Hyrule Field. And when the four Champion spirits departed Hyrule after Ganon's defeat, he could no longer use their special powers. Urbosa's Fury, Daruk's Protection, Revali's Gale and Mipha's Grace were all gone. It was yet another sadness: having those powers to call upon made him feel his friends were still with him in some way.

Now all he had left was that picture on his wall: the group picture of Zelda, the Champions and himself that Purah took just after the Champions Inauguration ceremony with King Rhoam. He recalled it was Mipha's idea to take the picture and he was glad she thought of it. He remembered how cute Mipha was, sidling next to him and taking a deep breath as she straightened herself, trying to look her very best for the picture. And then that big clown Daruk had "brought them all together." He looked at the picture now and then to remember all of them, but it was bittersweet. That was a happy moment of fun and togetherness, but little did any of them know at that time how short-lived it would be. Now the only friend he had left was Zelda: the rest were all dead.

He decided to get up, then walked over to the group picture. He gazed at Mipha's image, thinking of her now. It wasn't the best picture of her, but it was all he had.

Then he decided to make himself a vegetable omelet for breakfast. Soon he was eating at his small table, surrounded by the prizes, all now mounted on his wall, which were given to him by the village leaders after freeing the Divine Beasts. There was Revali's Great Eagle bow, Daruk's Boulder Breaker, Urbosa's Scimitar of the Seven and Daybreaker shield, and most precious of all to him now, Mipha's Lightscale Trident.

Whenever he ate alone like this, he liked to read his journal as he ate, looking over past chapters to refresh his memory. He opened it to a chapter he had titled 'Ruta Reveries.' He had written that chapter over two years ago when he made his last visit to Zora's Domain before his battle with Ganon. It was his favorite chapter because he had learned so much from the event it described. He sometimes wrote his journals in the third person so it would be easier for someone else to publish them or he could publish them himself under a pen name.

 **Extract from Link's Journal**

 **Ruta Reveries**

 _Link's last conversations with Mipha's spirit before Ganon's defeat_

It was late afternoon as Link stood atop the highest peak in the Zodobon Highlands, gazing up at the massive Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Ruta knelt there quietly, its trunk raised high and its red targeting beams locked on to Link's next destination, Hyrule Castle.

His long quest to finish their ill-fated plan of one hundred years ago was nearly over. He had traveled throughout Hyrule, freed the four Divine Beasts, and reclaimed the sword that seals the darkness. It remained only to free the Princess at Hyrule Castle, the Princess he had slowly come to remember from recovered memories triggered by her Sheikah Slate. And then, of course, he would need to battle Calamity Ganon.

But he was not ready to take that final step.

It was not out of fear that he was unready, unprepared for the battle. No, he had trained well, and his combat skills were beyond compare now. The sword that seals the darkness filled him with confidence, and he was eager for his day of reckoning with Ganon, a chance to put an end to Ganon's threat to Hyrule.

No, it was something else entirely. It was his memory. He had prepared for many things in his travels to survive in the wild, securing fresh food and cooking it, replacing weapons, destroying monsters. But he had not been ready for the shock of learning someone loved him and loved him enough to marry him.

He recalled how he was speechless when Mipha's father and brother spoke of her love for him, and her father gave him her gift, the armor she had so carefully crafted by hand one hundred years ago. Gazing at her statue helped him recall a time alone with her on Ruta as she promised to look out for him and hoped to spend some time together.

But that was such a small memory. It was not enough. Link needed to know more, to understand what they had meant to each other. Only Mipha's spirit knew the answers. And he sensed that once Ganon was destroyed, Mipha and the other Champions would be free to depart for the spirit world, their duty to Hyrule fulfilled. And then he would forever lose his chance to learn about his time with Mipha.

He approached closer to Ruta, and a voice asked if he would dare confront a realm of illusion and memory. He knew what would happen if he agreed, a battle against a virtual Ganon phantom would ensue. But he had already done that several times before and did not need to overcome his fears. And so he declined the offer.

He waited a moment longer, and then he spoke.

"Mipha?" said Link. "I know you can hear me. Please, I need to speak with you."

Link was greeted only by silence.

"I am going to light a fire, and I will camp here day and night until you speak with me," said Link. "There are things I must know that only you can tell me."

Link took some wood he carried and lit a campfire. Then huddled next to it, rubbing his hands. The sun was sinking in the west and would be setting soon. The night might grow cold, but he didn't care.

He stared up at Ruta again. He knew Mipha's spirit was there, waiting to perform her duty, to strike at Calamity Ganon when the time came. He had seen her spirit all too briefly once and later heard her voice a few times more. But they had all been one-sided conversations, her speaking to him. He hoped his stubbornness would move her to speak with him again and answer his questions. He wished he could climb aboard Ruta and perhaps see her spirit once more, but he could not approach Ruta closely and must be content to stay outside. All he could do was hope she would speak with him.

The sun was starting to set now, and the night sky was clear. Thank Hylia it wasn't raining, though that would not have stopped him. He took a moment to look from this high vantage point. To the left and just behind Ruta stood the majestic peak of Mount Lanayru, home of the Spring of Wisdom. To his right was Hyrule Castle, centered in the four Divine Beast targeting beams. And behind him, Death Mountain glowed a fiery red. Each place held memories for him, but that was not what concerned him now. He walked to the northern edge of the peak, and he could make out Zora's Domain below with its beautiful architecture and soft blue glow. He was a welcome visitor to Zora's Domain now, having calmed Ruta and saved everyone. He returned to be close to the fire, sat down, and waited.

It was quiet up here alongside Ruta, quiet as a graveyard, he thought. The only sounds were the whistle of the wind and the crackling of the fire. Few if any animals would venture so high to this barren hilltop and he had never been attacked by any evil creatures of the night here either.

He rubbed his hands together again. He would wait here all night if necessary and the next day too. The western sky turned orange as the sun set behind the distant hills, and stars started to appear. Still, he sat by the fire. He had almost nodded off to sleep when he heard her voice.

"Hello Link," said a voice inside Link's head, a voice he had come to know by now.

Link stood up and gazed at Ruta. The voice seemed to come into his mind from no particular direction, but it was natural for him to look at Ruta where her spirit was.

"I am happy you have come to visit me like you used to," said Mipha. "But you must not stay here. We must not neglect our duty, Link, and the Princess awaits your help."

"Mipha, thank you for speaking with me," said Link. "Yes, I know. But after one hundred years I do not think a short time longer will matter. Unless it does to you."

"No, a short time longer will not matter," said Mipha. "I sense the Princess is still strong. It sounds so nice to hear you say my name, Link! It has been so long since I heard it."

"I need to know more, Mipha, about us. You said you would never forget our time together. Help me to remember it too," said Link.

"I do wish you could remember," said Mipha. "But remembering now may only make you sad, Link, and I do not want to see that. I want you to be happy and to get on with your life."

"I am already sad, Mipha," said Link. "Your father and your brother both spoke of your feelings for me. I promised your father I would never forget you, and I will not. But I have so little memory of you to keep from forgetting. I know what the armor you made for me means. I need to know more of what took place between us."

"How is my family?" said Mipha.

"Your father is well, but of course, grief-stricken when I told him I had spoken to your spirit. He had held out hope all this time you were still alive but trapped. He regrets letting you pilot Ruta and wishes he could have done more to protect you. Sidon is a fine young man, and you know he helped me free Ruta. But he dearly misses you, Mipha. He thinks of you each night and gazes at your statue in the plaza," said Link.

Mipha was quiet.

"The night grows cold and late," said Link as he rubbed his hands together. "Can you not tell me about us? I need to know, Mipha. Not knowing is worse. It haunts me."

"You look quite handsome in my gift!" said Mipha. "You wear it well, and it fits you so perfectly."

"I cherish your gift, Mipha, and I always will," said Link. "And I feel you are one with me since you gave me your healing power. But will you not answer me, tell me about us, tell me what we meant to each other?"

"But why, dear Link?" said Mipha. "We can no longer be together in this world, and to know either way how you felt will only cause you pain. If I tell you that my love for you was all one-sided, will you not feel sad for me, that I loved you so much with no love from you in return? And if I tell you that you returned my love, will you not feel sad for both of us and mourn what might have been? To have forgotten is a blessing. You have your life to live, Link, and I can no longer share it with you as I once dreamed. Go now, fulfill your duty, and live your life in happiness. I will rest in peace, knowing this."

"If you know me Mipha, and I know you must, then you know how stubborn I can be," said Link. "I will stay here until you tell me about our time together. I need to know."

There was silence for a moment.

"Very well," said Mipha. "I can speak with you but only until sunrise. Then you must go and fulfill your duty as I must mine. Will you promise me that?"

"Yes, if that is the most time I can have with you," said Link.

"You say you wish to know of our time together?" said Mipha. "But where to begin? I have known you since your childhood."

"No, not that far back, though if we had time enough, I would stay here day and night and listen to every moment you were with me," said Link. "Since our time is short, work backward from our times together, the latest first."

"Very well," said Mipha. "The last time we saw each other was at the East Gate of Lanayru Road when Ganon surprised us all. I was trying to help the Princess access her power, but I was too late. We had no time to speak, you and I, but rushed off to do our duty. I remember how worried I was when I left."

"I am so sorry for what happened," said Link. "You were right to worry about the danger within Ruta. I wish we had thought of Ganon's plan."

"But dear Link, I was not worried for myself. I was worried for you," said Mipha. "I had promised to look out for you, to heal your wounds, and yet you were rushing off to battle Ganon on your own. I was so worried you would be hurt, and I could not be there to heal you. I never thought of danger within dear Ruta."

"All right," said Link. "That was a painful memory. Please, let's move back from that to the next earlier time we saw each other."

"Perhaps it would make more sense to jump to the time even before that one," said Mipha. "Then, you will understand."

"Very well," said Link. "Whatever you think best."

"It was your visit alone to the domain when we sat on Ruta's trunk, and I healed your arm and told you I hoped we could spend time together when our task was done," said Mipha. "You were quiet, tired, under stress from all your duties. It was too late to travel then, and you were too tired. So, you stayed at the Seabed Inn that night. You agreed to meet me the next morning, and when I met you, we walked together to Veiled Falls. You had told me once you had trouble sleeping, and you still looked tired. We sat on the large rock there, and the sunlight, fresh air and the sound of the falls put you to sleep, your head resting on my shoulder. You looked so peaceful and handsome, Link, I wanted to kiss you then and there! But I cradled your head and then let it slide down and rest more comfortably in my lap. I brushed your beautiful blond hair back once from your face. You slept for quite a while, breathing gently. I was happy to see you get some rest, as I knew you needed it.

Then all at once, you woke up, startled, not knowing where you were. I calmed you and assured you that you were safe. You sat up then, and our eyes met. I smiled at you, and then you suddenly leaned forward and kissed me. I felt like I was in a dream now! You seemed unsure of my reaction, but I kissed you back at once, and then we held each other and kissed more times than I can count. Afterward, you told me that you loved me but had been afraid of losing me as a friend. I told you I loved you too. I wished that day would never end!

I had hoped to offer you the armor on your visit as you were without the Princess for a change, and I had prayed for the courage to do so. I had brought it with me in a bundle. You told me later you thought it was our picnic lunch, and we both laughed. But after you expressed your love for me, I had no fear of rejection. I offered you the armor, and you happily accepted it. Then you tried it on, and as I expected, it fit you perfectly. We discussed our plans next and thought it best to wait until after our task was done to tell everyone. You had to return to guard the Princess then, and I took the armor back with me when I returned home. That was the end of your visit, but it was the happiest visit of all for me. For a time, I felt my dreams had all come true, Link."

"That is wonderful to know, Mipha," said Link. "I am happy we found love with each other, if only for a short time. Thank you for sharing that with me. What was the time you skipped to speak of this time?"

"Oh, you made a surprise visit to me at East Reservoir Lake a week after that," said Mipha. "I was so excited to see you, not only because it was a surprise but because by then we had finally shared our love for each other. We spent all day by the lake, swimming and talking, kissing and hugging each other. You were like a different person then, more emotional and open about your feelings, which I loved. But you carried some secret with you that you couldn't tell me yet. I didn't care in the end. I was just so happy to be with you. I held you in my arms as we slept that night in the bed on the pier, and I dreamed of holding you as my husband one day soon."

Time was moving on as they spoke, and this was one time Link would be very sorry to see a sunrise.

"Thank you, you have told me what I needed to know," said Link. "I know now that I did love you and that I told you so. It makes me want to learn even more about our time together, though. What other times were we together?"

"Well, before we shared our feelings, we were still very close," said Mipha. "We swam, played games, collected fireflies, chipped Luminous Stones for good luck, hiked, sat together and talked as we waited for the rain to stop. You visited me many times, Link, and I was always so happy when you did. Even after you grew quiet from carrying the sword, I still loved seeing you."

"Please tell me some specifics," said Link as he looked toward the east.

"Well, there are so many to choose from," said Mipha. "But I will tell you one time I liked. We were hiking together by Ralis Pond, and a rainstorm came up. We waited together for the storm to pass, but you were soaking wet. All this happened before we were appointed Champions, so you were wearing your Royal Guard uniform. When the rain stopped, and the sun came out, you needed to dry off your uniform. I remember you were so shy taking off your tunic and trousers with me there, even though we had swum together so many times. You blushed, and my giggling only made it worse. Anyway, we sat together as we waited for your uniform to dry and talked for hours. I liked sitting with you, leaning against the rock there. Being caught in the rain together made you speak more with me, which was very welcome. You were sometimes very quiet."

"Thank you, that is a nice memory," said Link. "I was trying to picture things as you told them, and I know Ralis Pond and the rock outcropping you mentioned. It helps bring the memory to life in my mind. Can you tell me of another time?"

"Very well," said Mipha. "It was a time I remember holding you in my arms. We were hiking near a pond, and it had rained earlier in the day. It was slippery, and you reached out to take my hand to help me. But you lost your footing and so did I. We collapsed on the soft ground near the shore together, and you landed on top of me. I held you from slipping, and I thought you might kiss me, as we lay there for a moment. But you were so embarrassed and blushed red. You kept apologizing and calling me Princess. Then I teased you a little, we laughed and went on our way. But for a few moments, you were in my arms. I thought of it when I went to sleep that night. I already had a crush on you by then."

Link glanced to the east again, and the sky was beginning to lighten.

"I fear our time grows short," said Link. "And I have a confession to make. When your father offered to let me read your diary, he thought you would forgive me, and so I did read it. I am sorry I did not respect your wishes, but knowing about your love for me, I wanted to learn all I could about you. I'm sorry."

"I see," said Mipha. "Then you know about the Lynel and when my heart was yours and my plans with the armor. I do forgive you, Link. What harm is there in it now?"

The sun was starting to peek over the Lanayru Sea in the distance as the morning wind picked up.

"And now it is time to keep your promise," said Mipha. "We must say farewell, dear Link. Ruta and I will be ready to support you in your fight. I know we will be victorious this time."

"Mipha, this is a difficult farewell for me," said Link. "As I listen to you and you remind me of our time together, I begin to feel in my heart now what you say was true back then. I feel love for you, Mipha. I can't help it. I so want to be with you. If only there were some way."

"I cannot deny my heart is thrilled to hear you say those words once more," said Mipha. "But now you must stop. Our time was in the past, but your time is in the future. Do not spend your days grieving for me, grieving for us. Remember me, and do not be sad, but be happy for the time we had. I will never forget the wonderful times I spent with you, and the love we shared for one another. May the Goddess protect you and keep you safe. Farewell, my love."

The sun had risen now, and she was gone. But he had learned what he wanted to, what he needed to. He would keep his word, as he always did, but he needed to rest first. He put out the fire, then made his way back to the domain and reserved a bed at the inn to sleep until noon. But before turning in, he had two things to do.

Link walked upstairs to the small statue of the Goddess Hylia, then bowed his head and prayed that Mipha and the other Champions would rest in peace.

Then he went downstairs and put a flower at the base of Mipha's statue, a Blue Nightshade. He thought she would have liked it. The blue matched the jewelry she used to wear that he remembered from his memory of her. He wondered what kind of flowers she loved? He didn't know and had forgotten to ask her. But he promised himself he would place a flower at her statue every day he stayed in the domain. He stopped to gaze at her statue again, and it seemed she was looking down at him with her kind expression. He knew much more now, and he knew he had loved her just as she loved him.

"I will never forget our love, Mipha, I cannot now," whispered Link hoping she could hear him somehow. "Never, not even for another hundred years."

Then he returned to the inn. He needed to rest for his big day. It had been a long night, but a night of answers he had needed.

"Good night, my love," said Link.

And before he drifted off to sleep, he thought he heard Ruta softly bellow. Could she still hear him? And if she could, and he closed his eyes, perhaps he could even be with her in his dreams, happy together again, chasing fireflies, or swimming, sharing a laugh and a kiss. If so, he must remember to ask her the kind of flowers that she loved. He would have one for her next time.

 **End of extract from Link's Journal**

That was the end of that chapter in his journal. He enjoyed re-reading some of the memories he recorded there. But he had finished breakfast now, and it was time to put away his journal and clean up.

While he enjoyed his little house, he also liked to travel. He sometimes visited Impa at Kakariko Village and enjoyed talking with her and listening to her stories of the past. Impa had been a valuable ally and guide when he awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection with no memory. She was one of the few living Sheikah who remembered him from before Calamity Ganon's attack, and she had even saved his Champion Tunic for him for 100 years.

Impa would always welcome him warmly when he visited. She would ask him how he was and what he had learned from his travels. They would sometimes sit and have tea together. She was getting older, but her mind was as sharp as ever. And she was not entirely sympathetic with his efforts to recall his past. She would shake her head as if disappointed in him, and then encourage him to move on with his life and put the past behind him.

Impa's granddaughter Paya still lived with her, and Paya was always nervous around him. Even to someone as bad at reading women's feelings as he was, he could tell she had a crush on him. Impa no doubt knew that, and he wondered if her urging him to move on meant she hoped he would develop a relationship with Paya. Paya was undoubtedly a lovely person with a good heart, very devout, and he liked her and respected her. In other circumstances, he would be happy to get to know her better. But he wasn't ready for a relationship with anyone at this point, and the fact he made Paya so uncomfortable was one reason he limited his visits to Impa.

Most of all he liked to spend time in Zora's Domain, talking to King Dorephan, Prince Sidon, and the others there who remembered Mipha and him from over a hundred years ago. Those conversations helped him remember. Or if not fully remember, at least learn more about the times he spent there with her. He almost always wore the Zora armor now. It fit him well, and that was one way of assuring he kept in shape. Besides, swimming up waterfalls often shortened his journeys. He still had other armor of course, and his blue Champion's tunic. He needed those for the few occasions he had to attend a meeting at Hyrule Castle.

Her Majesty, Zelda, was Queen of Hyrule now. Her coronation had been a grand ceremony, with crowds cheering, happy to see Hyrule under a new leader after a hundred years of desolation. At age 17 at the time, she was young to be crowned as ruler, but she offered hope to a long-suffering population amazed to see her alive after one hundred years. Of course, Link had attended the ceremony and even had a place of honor in the entourage. But soon after that, he began to feel no longer needed. Zelda was fully protected by the Royal Guards now, and there was far less to protect her from anyway. Then too, she was kept very busy with her duties, and he didn't like to intrude. It had been shortly after the coronation that he had requested a private meeting with her. He recalled the meeting with her now.

He was ushered alone into a private reception room. After a few minutes, Zelda entered and gave him a welcoming smile. He immediately bent down on one knee. "Your Majesty, thank you for seeing me. I know how busy you are."

"Link, I am never too busy to see you. I would hope you know that by now. And, as I've told you before, when we are alone together, please call me Zelda. I think I should start fining you a rupee each time you forget."

"Of course, uh, Zelda," Link laughed as he rose to his feet.

"How are you, Link?" said Zelda. "You are looking well. You know I am always happy to see you."

"I'm fine, Zelda, still traveling a good deal," said Link. "And I enjoy seeing you, too. You look wonderful! And everyone I meet speaks very highly of you and how capable a ruler you are."

"I wonder if they sing my praises to you because they know we are friends?" laughed Zelda. "But I appreciate the compliment. What did you wish to see me about?"

"This is hard for me to say, Zelda, but I need to say it. I think it would be best if I left Hyrule Castle and spent time working on restoring my memory. I have made some progress here and there, but to push things further, I need to go out more and meet with the few people who remember me while they still can. Also, I'm not sure I'm needed here. Our task with Ganon is thankfully over, and you are well protected now. Of course, if you grant me leave, I will miss the people I've come to know here. And I will miss you most of all," said Link.

He spoke this better than he usually did, having rehearsed beforehand. He nervously watched Zelda for her reaction.

Zelda smiled sweetly, but her tone was sad.

"I shall be very sorry to see you go if that is your wish. It was a comfort to know you were here if I needed to talk to a friend or reminisce about my father and the others. I admit that my duties as Queen have kept me busy, and we have not had much time together. I wish it were otherwise. But I understand you wish to recover your past. And I think I know the one you want to remember most of all," said Zelda.

Link blushed. They both knew she meant Mipha.

"So, not without sadness, I shall grant your request and relieve you, for now, of your duties here. Please take as much time as you need to recover your memories. But, Link, I hope you know that you will always have a special place in my heart as well, and you are forever welcome to return here anytime you wish. And I hope you will do so often."

"Thank you for being so understanding Zelda," Link said. "You know, if I may be so bold, how special you are to me as well and that I will always cherish our time together."

At that, he started to bow to take his leave, but Zelda stepped forward and stopped him, and embraced him with a hug which he returned. He closed his eyes, fighting back the tears, as they held each other.

"Oh, Link, I am going to miss you so much," said Zelda. "Please remember I am your good friend. I wish you success in seeking out your memories. But, as a friend, I would also like to see you happy. I hope you can move on with your life. I can imagine how painful your loss is. I too have had painful losses. But we cannot live forever in the past, Link. As I said, I would be happy to see you visit often and let me know how you are. In fact, I think I will make that a royal decree that you do!" Zelda teased him as they separated from their embrace.

"Yes, I will gladly honor your decree," laughed Link. "And thank you, Zelda."

Then he bowed and left the room.

That meeting had been almost two years ago. He did visit Zelda once a month or so as promised and enjoyed seeing her. She always received him happily and put aside an hour or more of her busy schedule for him. He told her what he had learned from his travels around the kingdom, and she, in turn, shared her plans for Hyrule's reconstruction. Zelda was indeed a very dear person to him. So much of the life he could remember was the time they spent together. She had matured from the sixteen-year-old girl he had been charged by her father to protect. Now she was a capable ruler. And yes, she was right. If the plan he was going to discuss with Dr. Purah couldn't work, he would indeed need to move on from the past.

As he cleaned up, he recalled the times he had visited the Divine Beasts shortly before Ganon's defeat. At each Divine Beast, he had been able to enter a virtual world where he could hone his fighting skills by battling once again those horrible blight creatures Ganon had created. It was valuable training for his final battle. And it also let him hear the Champions' spirits a few more times. The voice of Mipha lamenting his inability to remember their time together, and that she would never forget made him choke up each time he thought of it. It was so cruel to lose someone who loved you so much.

He had been gradually recovering more memories over the past two years. His mind had been slowly healing itself. And he had traveled all over Zora's Domain seeking out places that would trigger a recollection. It seldom worked, but sometimes it did. And when it did, it only reinforced his need to learn even more about his time with Mipha. He still remembered just a little, but much more than before. Now he could recall a time they were sitting together watching a sunset over the water. Or another time they were sitting with their feet dangling in a pool of water covered with lily pads and the occasional frog. Mipha looked so happy being with him, and he remembered how happy and at ease he felt with her.

And as he recovered more memories, he recovered more feelings as well. He was in love with Mipha now and wished he could be with her somehow. They had been close friends since childhood, but as they matured, it had grown into much, much more. And shortly before the end, they had even planned to marry. Now it was all gone. But he was hopeful there might be something he could do about that.

Zelda had told him that he should get on with his life. But getting on with his life was precisely the problem. What was his life now? He had fulfilled his duty to her and Hyrule as the hero. Zelda had a kingdom to govern, but what was he to do? All the combat and survival skills he had trained so hard to master weren't needed anymore. He felt useless now. It was ironic, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that his only future was in the past.


	2. Meeting With Dr Purah

_Summary: Link presents his plan to Dr. Purah_

 **Chapter 2 - Meeting with Doctor Purah**

Dr. Purah, a Sheikah and director of the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab, lived on a hillside above Hateno Village. Her experiments with an anti-aging rune had succeeded too well: she now looked like an 8-year-old girl though over 120 now. Purah and Robbie, the director of the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab, were both experts on ancient Sheikah technology. Purah and Robbie were also the ones who brought Link to the Resurrection Shrine over a hundred years ago.

The rain had stopped, and Link strolled through Hateno Village on his way to the meeting. As usual, he stopped at Hylia's statue to say a prayer, partly for the success of his venture, but mostly for Zelda and his departed friends. Then he continued on his way up the hill. He was nervous about this meeting. For one thing, Purah could be quite rude and impatient, as she wanted to spend every minute on her research and did not welcome interruptions. For another, what he wanted to discuss with her might not fall on sympathetic ears.

What he wanted most of all was to spend his life with Mipha somehow, even if that meant traveling back in time. If possible, he would like to save the lives of the four Champions and defeat Calamity Ganon, as they should have done had things gone according to Princess Zelda's original plan. He could warn the Champions about the corruption of their Divine Beasts and tell Zelda what she needed to know to awaken her sealing power on time. Then their original plan to destroy Ganon might succeed. But if all that was impossible, then he would be content to go back if he could and spend his days with Mipha. If she was still willing, they would marry. Then they could at least have some of the life together they both wanted so much.

He was no scientist and didn't understand how the Temple of Time could be made to work. And even if it was possible to do as he wished, he was unsure he would be allowed to do it. Yes, there were stories of prior heroes using the Temple of Time to travel to the past, but those trips were to save Hyrule itself and thwart that generation's incarnation of Ganon. They were not done merely for personal reasons. But aside from personal reasons, his plan did offer a way to save Hyrule, and that was how he needed to sell it. With the benefit of hindsight, they would know Ganon's plan and would be better prepared for his attack. In any case, in the end, he would need Queen Zelda's approval.

He arrived at the lab and knocked and was told to enter.

"Link, right on time!" said Purah. "I like that. Please come in and sit down."

He looked around. Papers and books were strewn everywhere about the lab and it wasn't clear where he could sit. Symin saw his confusion.

"Let me straighten up a bit here," said Symin making room for Link to sit down. "All this mess shows we have been working hard. In fact...but I had better let Dr. Purah tell you about it."

"Yes," said Purah. "We, actually Dr. Robbie and I, have been working on how to protect the Guardians from being taken over by an outside force, as happened with Ganon. You know, Link, Robbie has felt badly ever since the Calamity that he wasn't able to help you and the Champions more. That motivated him to create the ancient weapons and armor that he did. But he and I have been discussing for years how we could have prevented the disaster that occurred. And I think what we have will work. Of course, unfortunately, we can't actually test it against Ganon itself, but I can simulate a strong attack on the Guardian's control mechanism and this defense we have been working on repels those efforts. I am very optimistic about this! Yes, this could be a big breakthrough."

"Um, Dr. Purah, I don't think Link came here to discuss Guardian defenses," said Symin.

"No, of course not," said Purah. "But you caught us at a good stopping point. What is it you wished to discuss?"

"Dr. Purah, I want to talk to you about the Temple of Time. I understand you and Dr. Robbie may be looking into restoring its function at some point?"

"Yes, we are interested in that," Purah answered. "Though we wanted to finish work on the Guardian safeguards first. We have made some limited progress in our understanding but can't say for sure we will ever be done restoring the Temple's function. Tampering with time is exceedingly dangerous, and one needs to be very careful. There is always a great risk when you tamper with time as the consequences are not always what you hoped for. Though you do so to make things better, they never turn out better for everyone. And you have to live with that. But why do you ask about this, Link? I know you are not a scientist by nature."

This was the part he dreaded, and he rubbed his hands nervously. He thought his best strategy was to discuss the plan to save all the Champions and Hyrule itself first. In fact, their recent discovery of how to prevent Ganon from taking control of the Guardians could play right into that scenario.

Link cleared his throat and began. "Dr. Purah, as you know there are some ancient stories of how the legendary hero used the Temple of Time to visit the past and thwart Ganon's plans. What I would like to discuss is whether we or rather I could do that too. If I went back in time, I could alert the Champions and help Zelda acquire her power. Then we could destroy Ganon and prevent the destruction of Hyrule. It seems worth considering."

Purah looked at him. "It's an interesting idea, but I see a lot of obstacles. The biggest, of course, is getting the time travel function of the Temple to work at all. Assuming it worked, the legends also say only a select few could pass through time, and the Master Sword played a key role. But it is also not clear we could control how far back in time you would go. In one story the hero could only go back and forth seven years. In another, it's uncertain how far back the hero went, but he could not control it. So even if we could restore the temple's function, we don't know if you would end up going back 102 years to change events, or much more or less than that. In any case, is it not also possible that your plan would fail and Hyrule be left worse off?"

"It's possible of course," Link answered. "But I don't see how my plan could end up any worse. Assuming I would retain my current memories when I went back, I could alert everyone to Ganon's plan. The Champions would not be caught by surprise in their Divine Beasts. Princess Zelda would know how to invoke her sealing power. And your recent discovery might safeguard the Guardians, preventing them from being taken over by Ganon. By the way, could your safeguard work on the Divine Beasts as well?" Link asked.

"We haven't tested it on them. We think it should work. But if we're going to rely on it to save Hyrule, we need to be very, very sure", Purah said.

"And frankly it will be hard to test it fully," added Symin. "We can't exactly resurrect Ganon temporarily and politely ask if he would try to take over the Guardians and Divine Beasts to see how effective our new defenses are."

Link stopped to think again. "No, of course. I understand. But how can things be any worse off if I go back? Even if we lose control of the Divine Beasts, we will have the Champions alive, and together we can retake them more easily than when I had to do it alone. And think of all the destruction and lives lost throughout Hyrule that we might be able to prevent."

Purah thought some more. "It's an idea. I want to discuss it with Robbie next and get his reaction. If Robbie agrees your plan has merit, and, more to the point, we can ever figure out the Temple of Time's secrets, we can present our case to Queen Zelda for approval. She may well have reservations about it as well. We know the Sheikah created Timeshift Stones at one time which controlled local time travel. I think we will need to concentrate our research in that area at first. Alright, was there anything else?" Purah asked.

"No, that's all. Thanks for meeting with me," Link responded.

He let himself out and headed back to Hateno Village. The meeting went well he thought. He could enjoy lunch in the village now.


	3. Sheikah Technology

**Chapter 3 - Sheikah Technology**

 _Summary: Purah discovers the secret to TimeShift Stones._

Almost a year had gone by since Link's meeting with Purah. He had not heard anything from her and desperately wanted to. But he was hesitant to ask her for two reasons: she hated anyone interrupting her research, and he wanted to believe she was making progress and didn't want to hear bad news. He had visited Zelda a few times but spent most of his time in Zora's Domain. He was always welcome there, but the people he knew had their own lives to live, and he felt uncomfortable interrupting them too much to discuss the past. His journeys tended to be lonely ones, re-visiting places and hoping they would trigger some hidden corner of his memory. Sometimes they did, but more often they didn't. It was frustrating.

He had just spent the day exploring the area around Zora's Domain hoping for some more recollections but without success. It was time to return to the Domain, get something to eat and then spend the night at the Seabed Inn. He first stopped at the Coral Reef market for some fish. By now everyone knew him.

"Link, good evening," said Clef. "As usual, we have some very fresh fish today."

"Yes, I know your fish is always fresh," laughed Link. "I'll take a Sizzlefin Trout and some Hylian rice, please."

"Here you are," said Clef. "That will be 36 rupees, please. And please enjoy your meal."

Link paid and took the food over to the pot near the inn to cook it. As he did so Kodah saw him and approached.

"Linny, I assume you are staying at the inn tonight?" said Kodah. "There is a message for you. Let me get it."

Kodah retrieved the message as Link finished cooking his food. He took the message and his food and carried it to one of the structures overlooking the plaza where he could sit down and eat. After sitting down and beginning his meal, he opened the envelope. It was a message from Dr. Purah.

 _Link,_

 _I am sending this message to Zora's Domain since I believe you spend most of your time there these days. I have some good news I wish to share with you, and I think you will be pleased. But I am reluctant to put it in writing for fear of spies. Please return to our lab as soon as possible._

 _Dr. Purah_

 _Director-Hateno Ancient Tech Lab_

This was exciting! But it was too late and he was too tired to travel back to Hateno Village now. He finished his meal and returned to the plaza, then walked up the steps and stopped by Goddess Hylia's statue. He bowed his head and said a prayer for Zelda and for his departed friends and for the success of his venture. Since Hylia was the Goddess of Time, prayer to her was most appropriate. Then he made his way back down to the plaza.

Prince Sidon was standing in front of Mipha's statue, lost in thought. He came here every night to think about the sister he loved so much and missed. That was something they had in common, and he sometimes spoke with Sidon. But tonight he did not want to disturb his thoughts. As was his custom when here overnight, Link placed a flower at the foot of Mipha's statue.

"Good night, Mipha," whispered Link. "You know I love you and I miss you."

He stood there for a few more minutes as he gazed at her statue. Then he headed to the inn. Given the good news that Purah hinted at, he splurged and spent 80 rupees on a waterbed. He was soon fast asleep.

The journey back to Hateno Village was uneventful. He took a shortcut by swimming across the Rutala River which was a much shorter route than following the road. He soon arrived at the tech lab where he was welcomed in. Purah came right to the point.

"Link, we have made excellent progress on some Sheikah technology. While we have not figured out how the Temple of Time can be made to work, we have been able to create a pair of refined Timeshift Stones. And we can control the time shift amount pretty accurately. It turns out this is another function of the Sheikah Slate. As you may know from the legends, a Timeshift Stone can move an area around it back and forth in time. You strike the stone once to go back, then strike it again to return to the present. We've tested it, but you have to be careful. If you use it to go back in time, the effects of your actions will be evident in the present when you return, at least in the area under the stone's control that is," said Purah.

"This is great progress," Link said. "When can I use one of the stones?"

"We thought you would ask us that, and before we told you about our progress we shared our findings with Queen Zelda. She said she would permit you to use one of the stones if you promised to use it wisely and carefully. She said she had an idea what you had in mind, by the way," said Purah.

"I want to use it in Zora's Domain," Link said.

"Zelda told us that, so let me lay out some essential rules. She said you would want to meet with the late Zora Champion, Mipha. You must choose a time and place where you are not already meeting with her in the past, as interaction with your past self can cause unpredictable results. If you emerge in a time and place where your past self is present you must quickly return to the present. Do you understand this? It is of crucial importance," Purah said.

"Yes, I understand," said Link.

Purah went on, "You must also meet someplace where no one else is present or likely to wander into the Timeshift Stone range. It's important we limit any timeline tampering as much as possible."

"I think I know a good place for that," Link answered. "Vah Ruta back then sat in the middle of East Reservoir Lake, and I know Mipha often went there alone to train. I would like to consult my notes before committing to the actual time shift."

To recover his memories, Link had been taking notes for his journal from the information in diaries or other records he could find, plus conversations with Zoras. The former was more accurate, as even those with excellent memories could hardly be expected to give day-by-day accounts from over a hundred years ago. But the conversations still helped.

"Another rule it may be harder for you to follow is that you cannot reveal anything about someone's future. We are still researching time travel. If you warn Mipha, for example, about her death it can have unpredictable results for both you, her and all of us. Again, we need to understand things better before we tamper with our timeline."

Link understood and agreed.

"Finally," said Purah, "you must be careful not to leave the area controlled by the stone. If you were to do that you would vanish from the past and suddenly return to our present."

"I'll be careful to stay within the Timeshift Stone range," said Link.

"Very well," said Purah. "We have only created two stones. When you tell us the time shift needed I will program a stone using the Sheikah Slate."

Link left to return home and consult his notes. He needed to pick a time he felt confident Mipha would be training alone and he wouldn't be there. That would have been shortly before Ganon's return. After looking over everything he returned to the lab.

"I think eight days before the Great Calamity would be a perfect time," Link said. "I know Mipha was busy training then and I'm pretty sure she would be doing that alone at Vah Ruta. Also, I know I was far away from there then."

Purah reached over her desk and uncovered a bluish stone with a Sheikah symbol on it. Using the Sheikah Slate, she entered some information. The stone flashed white for an instant, then returned to a glowing blue. She handed the stone to Link.

"Thank you Purah and Symin. You don't know how much this means to me. Wish me well," said Link.

And with that, he left clutching the precious stone.


	4. Mipha

**Chapter 4 - Mipha**

 _Summary: Link uses a TimeShift Stone to travel back 103 years and spend a day with Mipha at East Reservoir Lake. Mipha senses something is wrong but elects to overlook it and enjoy the unexpected visit._

In his excitement, the journey back to Zora's Domain seemed to take forever, and he had to control himself from rushing it to the point of exhaustion.

He decided to take a lesser traveled route from Hateno Village across Nirvata Lake, Lanayru Bay, the Rutala River and then up the Rutala Dam into East Reservoir Lake. As he passed the area by Purifier Lake and just beyond, he looked to the west and could make out where the East Gate of Lanayru Road lay. He hadn't been back there in a long time, and he purposely avoided it on his journeys. It was the last place he had seen Mipha. He had been so preoccupied with Zelda that day, going up and down the mountain. He didn't even have a chance to speak with Mipha before everyone ran off to battle. He quickly moved onward to Lanayru Bay.

When he reached East Reservoir Lake, he made his way to the northwest pier. That had the most shelter and would be a logical place for him to arrive if he was coming to visit. The lake and reservoir were quiet now, Ruta having moved to a mountain peak. No one else was around. He removed the TimeShift Stone from his satchel and set it down behind some pots near the end of the pier where the stone would be out of sight. He also hoped his sudden appearance there would likely be unseen. He didn't want to appear out of thin air and needed to pretend this was an unexpected visit.

He realized he was almost three years older than he should have been at that time and hoped Mipha wouldn't notice or chalk it up to stress guarding Zelda. He also had the presence of mind not to wear his Zora armor, since at that point in the past he didn't have it. He only knew he had received it many years later from King Dorephan. He had worn his Champion's tunic instead, which was what he would typically have worn back then. He wondered if the TimeShift stone's range would expand to include Ruta out on the lake. If not, he might have a problem getting close enough. Well, he would worry about that if it happened. He took a deep breath, said a short prayer to Hylia, and struck the stone.

The effect was instantaneous. The surrounding area changed all around him. It was earlier in the day, and the sun was shining in a cloudless sky. Mipha could be seen in the distance atop Ruta's trunk. He was indeed over one hundred years in the past. He moved away from the stone toward the middle of the pier, and then his emotions got the better of him. His eyes filled with tears.

Mipha didn't see him right away as she was looking the other way. But after a few minutes, she noticed him standing on the pier. She shouted and waved to him, then she lowered Ruta's trunk, dove gracefully into the water, and quickly swam over to him. Then she did an elegant jump from the water landing on her feet, ran over to him and put her arms out to hug him. He awkwardly responded, hugging her back, then she pulled back.

"That wasn't the most affectionate greeting, but this is a nice surprise!" laughed Mipha. "I didn't expect to see you for another week, and I thought you were still busy guarding the Princess. I guess you couldn't keep away after last week, and I'm so glad!"

He realized now he should have better prepared himself for this moment. For Mipha, it was a surprise visit from someone she was used to seeing. But for him, it was the culmination of a three-year-long dream come true, something he had prayed for, but something he thought might never happen. And so, when the opportunity arose, he had been way too eager to be with her and hadn't prepared himself emotionally.

But there was something else. Mipha looked surprised when he didn't react to her comment about last week. He wasn't behaving the way she expected, and he wasn't sure why. He realized now he hadn't thought things through enough and should have considered more carefully when he was.

And then it suddenly hit him.

He was living the visit Mipha's spirit had recalled for him when he spoke with her at Ruta before his battle with Ganon. He was creating that past visit now. Time travel was indeed hard to understand, but it all made sense.

But now she noticed the tears in his eyes.

"Link, are you alright? Why are you crying? Are you hurt?" Mipha asked.

"No, no, I'm fine, Mipha," said Link quickly wiping his eyes. "It's just that I missed you. I missed you very much."

Her beauty in person was even better than his memory of her, and the old faded picture on his wall didn't do her justice either. Her soft bright amber eyes, smooth red skin, and gentle expression were irresistible, and he felt a longing he hadn't in years. After three years of loneliness, thinking more and more about her, the moment was too much for him. But he needed to get himself under control.

"Something must be wrong," said Mipha. "I'm happy to hear you missed me, but you've never been like this before. Has Princess Zelda done or said something to you? And why aren't you with her?"

"Zelda is fine, and so am I. I can't explain to you why I'm so emotional this time," said Link. "But I want you to know how much I love you and want so much to be with you."

Mipha looked at him for a moment, and he found it hard to return her gaze.

"You are keeping something secret from me, I can tell," said Mipha. "I know you too well. But I won't press you on it. I'm too happy to see you. And you know I love you too, and I feel the same way."

"Do you mind putting off your work on Ruta so we can spend today together? I will need to leave when you return home. And I'm afraid we need to stay around the reservoir if that's okay," said Link.

"Of course, I don't mind! And by the way, don't you think it's more than about time you kissed me, sweetheart? Or have you forgotten how, after only a week?" said Mipha.

With that, Mipha reached over, and they embraced and kissed, and then kissed some more. He hadn't kissed anyone in over a hundred years, but that's something you never forget.

"I suppose we can break for lunch," Mipha said finally. "I have some fish you can cook here. I wasn't expecting company, and knowing your appetite there probably isn't enough. Should I catch some more?"

"No, no, whatever you have is fine. I have some food as well we can share," said Link.

Link cooked some fish, and they ate lunch together.

"How are you getting on with your knightly duties? Are you and Zelda getting along now?" asked Mipha.

Link remembered those days with Zelda and knew enough to answer.

"We're doing fine, much better than at the beginning. Zelda can be difficult at times. She's very frustrated she can't master her Sheikah Slate to open shrines and depressed she can't access her sealing power. But I do my duty and stay with her when I'm needed. She's in good hands today, and I'm just happy I could get away and spend time with you," said Link.

Mipha leaned forward and kissed him. Then she playfully gave him a small nip on his shoulder.

"Ouch!" Link exclaimed.

"Just something to remember me by when you return to your Hylian Princess," Mipha teased. "And I'm not going to heal that either!"

She cuddled against him again.

"You have certainly changed since last we met. I know you love me, you even finally told me so, but you were always so reserved and unemotional until then. I'm so happy you're more open about your feelings now," Mipha said. "Is it because we're engaged?"

"I really can't explain it," said Link. "But I am so happy to be with you today."

"Well, let's enjoy the afternoon. You said we had to stay near the reservoir, but I assume we can swim? Let's swim out to Ruta," Mipha said.

"Um, okay. Just not beyond it. That would be nice," Link said.

He could see the Timeshift Stone range included all of Ruta since it wasn't there in his present time.

They held hands and walked to the water's edge. Link removed his tunic and trousers, and then she playfully pushed him into the water. Link remembered he enjoyed swimming with her, though of course what he called swimming was pitiful by Zora standards. She loved to swim loops around him while he struggled to swim forward. Before they reached Ruta, she swam over to him and held him in her arms while they floated together. He wrapped his arms around her. She looked into his eyes and smiled.

"Are you feeling better, happy now?" Mipha said. "I know I am."

"Happier than you can ever imagine," he said. "When you look at me like that and smile, you're so beautiful and irresistible. I love you so much. I want to spend every minute with you."

"You shall. We will always be together, and you will always have my heart," said Mipha.

Then they kissed again.

"Water brings out the best in me," laughed Mipha. "But I know you like land. Let's finish swimming out to Ruta."

They reached Ruta, entered it, and made their way onto the trunk. Then she raised the trunk high above the lake. The view was breathtaking, with the early afternoon sun reflecting off the shiny ice blue cliffs. They sat together, their arms around each other, and enjoyed the view. He needed to remember not to say anything that didn't make sense for the period he was in, so he said little. Mipha was quiet as well, content to enjoy the time together. Now and then they would kiss, and smile at each other. Her smile was so beautiful! But soon it was getting late.

"There's a bed on the shore near the pier. Would you like to spend the night here? Or are you worried about returning to your Hylian Princess?" she teased smiling.

"Nothing would make me happier than staying here with you," Link said. "I wish I could stay here forever."

"Father won't worry about me. I told him I would be staying overnight here with Ruta," said Mipha.

They swam back together to the edge of the reservoir, Mipha helping by pulling him along. Link re-lit a fire, and he cooked what food remained for a light supper. Then they sat together at the edge of the pier, their legs dangling in the water and holding hands, watching the stars circle overhead.

"It's beautiful here," said Link. "I remember, I mean I love coming to the domain. It's joyful, energetic, and yet somehow tranquil at the same time. And even though I'm a Hylian, I feel so comfortable and at home here."

"Soon it will be your real home, sweetheart," said Mipha as she squeezed his hand. "Our home. I know you'll be happy here. We both will."

"I'll be happy wherever you are, sweetheart," said Link. "And I can't be happy anywhere else."

He leaned over and kissed her. She smiled, that beautiful smile he loved so much.

"You've become so romantic!" laughed Mipha. "I never knew you had it in you. Even after knowing you for so long, you still surprise me. But it's a nice surprise. I've longed to hear you say you loved me. You can never say it too much."

"I do love you," said Link "And I've grown to realize how much I love you. It just took me much longer than it should have."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, but they were both getting tired.

"I wish you could sleep in the water," said Mipha. "It's so much more comfortable. Water is soothing, and you float so peacefully."

"I'll try to learn," laughed Link. "I'm sure I can figure out how to rest with my head above water. You know I'll do anything to make you happy. Shall I try tonight?"

"No," laughed Mipha. "After we're married is time enough. I can tolerate sleeping on land tonight. I want to hold you, feel you in my arms. That's more important to me right now."

They walked to the bed, settled down in each other's arms, kissed once, and then quickly fell asleep. They awoke to another sunlit morning.

"It looks like another beautiful day," said Mipha as she stroked Link's hair. "You slept well. I think you're getting comfortable being my fiancé."

"Comfortable is not the word that comes to mind," laughed Link. "More excited and thrilled and happy."

"How about a short swim?" said Mipha.

They swam around the lake for a bit, and then they returned to the pier. Link dried himself off and got dressed, then Mipha came over and held him in her arms.

"I do need to get back home now. I guess you can't come with me?" said Mipha.

"No, unfortunately," Link said.

The TimeShift Stone wouldn't reach that far, and he was under Purah's orders to avoid unnecessary interaction with people.

"Well, thank you and her highness for this unexpected visit, mysterious though it is. But for now, be well, and I will see you at Lanayru Road in a week. By the way, where will you be going now?" Mipha said.

And now as he said goodbye, he had to hold himself together. Who knew if he would ever see Mipha again? Would Purah ever get the Temple of Time to work? And even if she did, would he be allowed to use it? He wanted so much to tell Mipha what was going to happen and spare her the pain and suffering of dying in Ruta. But Purah had warned him it was dangerous to tamper with events like that and outcomes were too unpredictable. Things could turn out worse. She could be killed in battle some other way, and so could he. And he had promised not to tell her. He needed to keep his word and trust in Purah. How could he expect Goddess of Time Hylia to hear his prayers if he was false to his word?

"I need to journey back to Hateno Village first. I'll be fine. I love you!" Link said.

With that, they kissed one more time.

"I love you too," Mipha said.

She waved once to him on her way back home, then watching her recede she suddenly disappeared from view. She had reached the limit of the TimeShift Stone, which meant nothing to her in the past but removed her time from his sight.

He went back to the TimeShift Stone, checked no one was around, struck it once, and with a flash, everything returned to his present. It was late in the day, however, so he decided to remain in Zora's Domain and stay at the inn. He felt more joy than he had in years, and that his life had a purpose once again.

He stopped by the Hylia shrine and thanked the Goddess in his prayers for letting him have time with Mipha once again. He just hoped his past self wouldn't mess things up, as he rubbed some tender teeth marks on his shoulder.

And he had forgotten to ask what her favorite flower was.


	5. Hateno Village and Hyrule Castle

**Chapter 5 - Hateno Village and Hyrule Castle**

 _Summary: Link returns to Hateno Village and reports to Purah on his Timeshift stone experience. He then pays a visit to Hyrule Castle to thank Zelda, stopping for a short visit with Impa on the way._

He awoke the next morning and began his journey back to Hateno Village. He was anxious to tell Purah what had happened in hopes it would further her research. He toyed with the idea of using the Timeshift Stone again but quickly decided against it. Things had worked out well the one time he used it, and to use it again would be selfish and risk something going wrong. Besides he did not want to do anything that might forfeit Purah's trust. So far, he hadn't noticed anything different in the present (except his shoulder), so with luck, the timeline was still intact, and no harm was done.

He returned to his house, freshened up, switched into the Zora armor, and headed toward the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab. Purah and Symin again received him warmly.

"So, Link, tell us how the Timeshift Stone worked out for you," said Purah.

"It worked perfectly as far as I can tell," said Link. "Mipha and I were alone the whole time we were together on East Reservoir Lake. There were no interruptions by anyone else. I had a little problem controlling my emotions at the outset, and Mipha sensed things were not quite right. But in the end, she accepted me, and we got along as well as we used to."

"Given your memory issues, how do you know she accepted you as well as she used to?" asked Purah.

At this question, Link turned red and seemed at a loss for words. Purah noticed his embarrassment.

"Never mind, I think I understand," she said, laughing. "You don't need to elaborate."

"This is encouraging news, and I think it means we are on the right track. Getting the Temple of Time to work is, in principle, like turning it into a giant Timeshift Stone that encompasses all of Hyrule in its range. Not to say that it is easy, but that's the concept at least."

"So, what happens next?" Link asked.

"For you, nothing," Purah answered. "For us, it means further work on understanding this technology. By the way, I have used the connection between the Sheikah Slate and the Sheikah Towers scattered around Hyrule to check for any timeline anomalies and am pleased to say I have not detected any. Thus, it appears your visit to the past did not have any significant effect on the present. We will let you know when we have something new to report."

He could tell they were eager to resume work, so he took his leave. He would have to wait again. But at least he had some new memories to enjoy.

After sleeping overnight at his house, he awoke in an optimistic mood and felt he owed Zelda his thanks for her permission to use the Timeshift Stone. He hadn't visited her in almost a month anyway, so this seemed like as good a time as any. Epona was stabled right outside his house, and after feeding and watering her, he saddled up and began the ride to Hyrule Castle. As usual on his rides from Hateno Village to Hyrule Castle, he would break his trip at Kakariko Village to rest Epona and get something to eat. He would usually check in on Impa as well if she weren't busy. He owed Impa so much for all her guidance and assistance when he first awoke memoryless from the shrine. It was only the awkwardness with Paya that made him uncomfortable.

The ride was pleasant enough as the weather was warm and sunny, no hint of rain. The roads were safe now, and Link relaxed in the saddle, letting Epona steer her way along at a modest pace and giving her a gentle pat of approval and affection now and then. There was no need to hurry.

Overall he thought the visit with Mipha had gone very well, but he admonished himself again for not taking more time to think it through. He was all too eager and hadn't prepared himself well enough. As usual, he had rushed ahead, his bias being toward action. But he had learned in dealing with enemies that planning was vitally important. It was important in dealing with friends as well. He should have done a better job keeping his emotions to himself. He nearly ruined the visit. Thank Hylia Mipha had let it all pass in the interest of being together. But after all this time thinking about her, trying every day to remember more about her, and falling back in love with her, it was a lot to ask. He usually worked hard not to show them, but he did have feelings after all.

When he reached Kakariko Village, he dismounted and left Epona to graze while he continued into town. He strolled over to Impa's house first. There were still two guards on duty. Impa was a Yiga Clan target, though nothing much had been seen of any Yiga in quite some time. Both guards recognized him.

"Master Link, welcome! Lady Impa gave us instructions to admit you whenever you're here, so please go right on in."

"Thank you, Cado," said Link.

Link went up the steps and knocked on the door. He heard Impa's voice telling him to come in.

"Link, this is a nice surprise," said Impa. "Have you eaten yet? Paya and I were just about to have lunch. It's only some rice and fish, but you are most welcome. We have enough for three."

"Thank you, Impa, I would like that," said Link. "And hello, Paya. It's nice to see you."

"Hello, Master Link," said Paya. "It's nice to see you, too."

He noticed Paya had gotten over her stuttering in the past two years. Good for her! Paya handed Impa and him a bowl of rice and fish along with a set of chopsticks, and he thanked her. Then they sat down near Impa and Paya served them both tea, then herself.

"What brings you here, Link," said Impa.

"Just stopping on the way to the castle," said Link. "How are both of you?"

"I'm getting ancient," said Impa. "If my sister Purah ever perfects that rune of hers, I'm ready to try it."

"I am well as always, Master Link," said Paya. "Thank you for asking."

"Speaking of my sister, she told me some of what has been happening," said Impa. "So, you traveled back in time to see the Zora Champion Mipha."

"News certainly travels fast!" said Link. "Yes, I was able to see her by using a Timeshift Stone."

"You certainly are persistent," said Impa. "That's your nature, I know. But I worry about Purah and her work. She can be a bit reckless sometimes. I warned her again about the danger of time travel, and she promised me she would be cautious. I gather you cannot yet find it in your heart to move on and accept all that happened?"

"I'm sorry, but no, I can't," said Link. "Not unless I know I've tried everything and Dr. Purah says there is no hope. But it's not just for me. If our plan works, all of Hyrule will be better off."

"I pray your heart will find peace, Master Link," said Paya. "You have done so much for all of us. You deserve now to live your life in happiness. I pray you will find that happiness soon."

"Thank you, Paya," said Link. "I appreciate your prayers and always have. It is kind of you to care what happens to me. And I hope this prayer of yours is answered as well as were your prayers for our success."

They spoke some more of what had been happening. When the meal was finished, it was time to leave.

"Give my best wishes to Her Majesty," said Impa. "And, Link, I know I've said this before, but keep your hopes in check. It is fine to dream of wishes coming true, and we all do that. But it is wise also to consider that not all wishes do come true in life. Think of all you have and do not dream your life away."

"And be well, Master Link," said Paya.

"Thank you both," said Link. "I understand Impa. And I will say hello for you."

He found Epona, and they continued toward Hyrule Castle. Impa hadn't been too hard on him this time. She used to be much more forceful about the need to move on from his obsession with the past. Perhaps the fact Purah was making progress on time travel had tempered her outlook.

When he reached the castle, he was admitted at once and shown to a private room while Her Majesty was informed he had arrived. A few minutes later, Zelda entered the room. He dropped to one knee. He had a deep respect for the Hyrule Royal family, and he never wanted to presume upon their friendship to ignore that.

"Thank you, Link, for being so respectful, but please rise," said Zelda. "And now that you've shown the proper respect come here and hug me. I missed you! And if you don't call me Zelda I'm going to start collecting that fine I threatened you with!"

Link rose went over to her, and they hugged each other.

"It's good to see you, Zelda," said Link. "You're looking very well. Almost regal, I would say."

"Almost?" Zelda laughed. "Well, I'm still working on it. Come, let's sit down and talk. I have to thank you for arriving when you did. It was a good excuse to leave a rather boring meeting."

"I do know you're busy Your, uh, Zelda, and I appreciate you making time for me," said Link as they sat down. "I especially wanted to thank you for permitting me to use Purah's Timeshift Stone. And Impa says hello."

"I know how much Mipha means to you, Link," said Zelda. "You have made that clear. And I don't know if Dr. Purah will ever accomplish what she's working on and convince us of its merits. I hoped your visit with Mipha would bring you some comfort and happiness and maybe even some closure. I still hope you can move on as the rest of us have. I'm only speaking to you as a friend now who cares for your well being. Frankly, I had misgivings about allowing you to use the stone. I was afraid it would only serve to make matters worse, make it harder for you to move on. But in the end, I felt that no matter what, it would bring you happiness, and you deserve some happiness after all you've been through. We all owe you so much. So, I could not deny you that."

"Thank you again," said Link. "It did bring me happiness. But it did also give me hope."

"Can you tell me what happened on your visit?" said Zelda. "Purah sent me a report that all had gone well, but no actual details."

"Well, um, I met Mipha at Ruta, and we talked and had lunch and swam around a bit," said Link.

"That's it?" said Zelda after waiting for Link to continue.

"Oh, she also said to thank you for letting me visit," said Link. "So, technically, I'm doing that now though she meant the 'you' of her time, of course."

"Yes, of course. Please go on," said Zelda after waiting some more.

Link started turning red.

"We did get a little personal, Zelda," said Link. "I feel funny talking about it with you."

"A little personal?" said Zelda. "You truly have a way with words sometimes! I hope that means you behaved like two people in love. And what's wrong with your shoulder? You keep rubbing it. Are you hurt?"

"Oh, um, no, it's nothing, Zelda," said Link. He had absentmindedly been rubbing where Mipha had given him her playful nip. It was something to remember her by, she said, the next time he returned to his Hylian Princess. And 103 years later it was doing just that.

"It can't be nothing. It obviously bothers you," said Zelda. "Let me take a look. I insist."

Link pushed aside his tunic so Zelda could see the bruise. It wasn't bad, just a bit red. The skin wasn't broken. But the imprint on the skin looked like teeth marks.

"It's not too bad," said Zelda as she examined it. "But it looks like a bite. Did something attack you, a Keese perhaps? The size of the bite is quite large. I can't imagine you not realizing what happened."

"I wasn't attacked exactly. It's not important, Zelda. But yes, we behaved like two people in love," said Link.

"I see," said Zelda. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I know you've been spending a great deal of time trying to recover memories. I viewed your visit with her as a chance to learn more, and it succeeded in doing so."

"And I thank you," said Link. "No need to apologize. I just find it difficult to talk about."

"Then let's move on," said Zelda. "You're having dinner with me here and staying overnight in one of the guest rooms. I want to tell you about all the restoration work that's going on, and I want to learn all you've seen in your travels. Let's have a good time together, as we used to years ago. Pretend we're together at one of those stables we used to stay at, sitting around the fire, eating Hylia knows what and talking late into the night. That's the 'you' I remember best and grew close to. I'm hoping the company and conversation will be like old times. But I promise the food will be better. And don't even think about turning me down."

"I wouldn't dream of it," laughed Link. "I miss those days, too, though I think we both tend to remember the good times and not all our worries. But yes, your appointed knight could use some fun conversation with his other Princess. And since when have I ever turned down a meal?"

The dinner was delicious. Zelda brought him up to date on all the construction going on, and he told her of his travels. People were pleased with Zelda as ruler, and he let her know that. Then, as it got later, they started to reminisce about their travels together, both before and after Ganon's defeat.

"I'm sorry you didn't see the stable owner's face, Lawdon, just after our victory when I got you a horse from Wetland Stable for our ride to Kakariko Village," laughed Link. "He noticed you weren't dressed for riding and asked who you were. I didn't know what else to say other than you were the Princess of Hyrule. His jaw dropped in amazement, then assumed I was joking and got angry. I wonder if he realized later I was telling the truth? Do you remember that?"

"I remember you got me a nice white horse," said Zelda. "But it was fun sharing a horse with you until we reached the stable. It brought us closer after a hundred years apart. I didn't mind. Do you remember the time we stayed at Gerudo Canyon Stable, and the landlord thought you were my servant? I still feel bad about that. I was still a bit resentful of you back then."

"I remember, but I forgive you," laughed Link. "You gave me the hardest time near Gerudo Town, sneaking off. I was terrified something would happen to you."

"You cared for me that much?" said Zelda.

"No, I was just worried about all the trouble I would be in with your father back at the castle," teased Link laughing.

"Very funny," laughed Zelda. "I know better. You were always there for me. I'll never forget that."

Finally, it was getting late. Link hugged Zelda and wished her goodnight. He wouldn't see her in the morning and would be heading home.

"Be well, Link," said Zelda. "And return soon. I always feel better after seeing you."

"I will," said Link. "You're an extraordinary person in my life, and I'll never forget that either."

Then he went to his room and slept. Next morning he rode home but did not stop to see Impa on the way.


	6. Zora's Domain

**Chapter 6 – Zora's Domain**

 _Summary: Link continues with life as he hopes Dr. Purah will uncover the secrets to the Temple of Time. He makes another visit to Zora's Domain._

Link had been home for a few days after his trip to Hyrule Castle and had filled in his journal with everything that had happened. He cleaned his house and tended to the grounds, keeping everything neat and clean looking.

His meeting in the past with Mipha occupied a good deal of his mind since he returned home, and he kept blaming himself for not handling it better. He had let his emotions get the better of him and nearly ruined everything! Mipha clearly realized something was wrong. And what if she had pressed him for an explanation? To refuse to answer her would only make her angry and ruin the only chance he had to be with her, to throw away an opportunity beyond all his hopes and dreams over the past three years. But to tell her was even worse! Purah had said it could ruin everything by unpredictably changing the past. Fortunately, Mipha was as eager as he was to enjoy their unexpected day together and let it pass. He was very fortunate.

By the fifth day back at Hateno Village, he was feeling restless again. He used his house to settle himself after traveling and to catch up on his writing. It was a place to relax. But now he needed to travel. The question was where and he weighed his options.

Hyrule Castle was out since he was just there. Rito Village was quite far, quite cold, and he didn't know anyone very well there. Teba and the Elder would welcome him out of courtesy for all he had done for them, but they weren't friends. Goron City was brutally hot and about the same situation, though he enjoyed Yunobo's youthful enthusiasm. Gerudo Town was something else! He still had to sneak in disguised as a woman. They wouldn't even make an exception in his case! Chief Riju was growing up and a bit more than a child now, though still quite young. She was very gracious toward him and said he was always welcome. But it was uncomfortable hiding behind a veil all day, especially at meals. And that was a pretty long journey as well.

So, as was often the case, he ended up selecting Zora's Domain. It was close, and he had friends there. And he never tired of visiting it.

The next day he put on his Zora armor and headed off to Zora's Domain again. He had been there so many times Epona knew the way by heart. He sometimes wondered if Epona missed all the wandering he had done earlier. At least there was more variety for her back then. But he took good care of her, and she was as loyal a horse as you could ask for.

He had rested Epona several times along the way, and the final part of the journey to the Domain was long and winding. When he finally left Epona and walked the rest of the way into the Domain, it was early evening.

His first stop was always Mipha's statue. As he approached, he saw Prince Sidon standing there, his gaze fixed upon the sculpture. Sidon didn't notice him at first, and Link was reluctant to interrupt him. Finally, Sidon saw him.

"Oh! It's you, Link," said Sidon turning to Link standing next to him. "I was lost in thought and didn't see you. Have you been here long?"

"Sorry, did I startle you? No, I only just arrived," said Link.

Children had already made their way to the slumber pools for the night, and the plaza was quiet now.

Link knelt on one knee and placed a Blue Nightshade flower at the base of her statue. He closed his eyes and whispered, "I love you, Mipha." Then he stood up and gazed at her figure again, lost in thought.

Sidon remained silent as there was no reason to intrude upon Link's thoughts. He had seen Link perform this brief ritual before, as he did this whenever he returned to the Domain.

Link finally broke the silence.

"They say time heals all wounds, Sidon, but it's not true, not for me," said Link as he continued to look up at her image chiseled in blue stone.

Sidon remained quiet.

"For me, it's just the opposite," said Link. "The more time passes, the more my mind heals, and my memory recovers. And the more I remember of her. I can't remember much as there are still too many holes in my mind. But I recall some of our time together. I remember the places we went, things we did, and how happy we were together. I remember the warmth in her eyes, the softness of her smile, the joy of her laugh, the gentle touch of her hand, and the feel of her lips on mine as we kissed. My curse is to feel her loss more deeply with each new memory I recover."

"I cannot imagine how hard that must be for you," said Sidon. "To have the memory of your time with my sister return piece by piece. I wish there were some way of helping you, but the harm to your mind from the shrine you told me of must have been very great. I imagine any recovery will be long and difficult."

"And it's not just memories. There are dreams too, Sidon," Link continued. "I sometimes dream of her, even several days in a row. And they're so true to life, so convincing! It's as if she is with me, and we are together again. We swim, we take walks, we hold hands, we laugh, we kiss. I don't know if these things happened the way I dreamed them, or my longing for her drove my mind to invent them. But when I awaken, having just imagined being together, the hurt is all the greater for what my heart tells me just happened, even though my head tells me it was just a dream."

"Why do you think you have these dreams?" said Sidon.

"I don't know," said Link. "Some would say my dreams were her spirit reaching out to mine, that we are closer to the spirit world when we sleep. But when last I spoke to her spirit, she was urging me to move on with my life. So, I think it unlikely she would cause me to grow more attached to her. Another thought I had is that it is due to her healing power, the power that she gave me for a time. All the Champion spirits gave me their powers, but hers was different. The others were powers I had to invoke. Hers just stayed within me and protected me from harm when I needed it. The powers the others gave me were more like giving me something and then leaving me to use it. Hers was as though she was within me somehow, that we were bonded together. I think it may have permanently affected me somehow."

"The only comfort I can offer is talking about her," said Sidon.

They both gazed silently upon Mipha's statue for another moment.

"Well, I am tired from my travels," said Link. "It's time to bed down at the inn. Good night, Sidon."

"Good night, Link," said Sidon.

Link made the short walk to the Seabed Inn. As usual, Kodah was on duty as a greeter while her husband Kayden handled the desk.

"Back again, Linny?" said Kodah as he approached the inn. "You're certainly one of our best customers! And, you're always welcome here."

"Hi Kodah," said Link. "Do I qualify for a discount yet?"

"Oh, come on, being so famous, and with all the rupees you collect, I know you can afford a bed for the night," laughed Kodah. "I'll arrange it with my husband, and you don't need to register. Are you staying long?"

"I don't know yet," said Link. "I get restless when I'm home, and then I miss some company. And, besides Zelda, the only friends I have are here. So, it depends on how much time they have for me. How are you and the family?"

"Well," said Kodah. "I'm not sure I told you last time you were here, but our daughter Finley finally had her growth spurt a year or so ago. She had been getting very depressed that it took so long. And she finally moved on from her Hylian 'prince,' thank Nayru. Nothing against Hylians, of course, but we were not impressed with her pen pal."

"I understand," said Link. "He was a bit of a wimp, but I thought he might improve himself. I guess he didn't."

"So, still no one special in your life yet?" said Kodah. "My friends are all married now, so I don't know anyone to introduce you to. Haven't you met a Hylian either? Or a Gerudo?"

"No, nobody," said Link. "I'm not looking for a relationship at the moment. The Gerudo I've met think I'm too scrawny for them anyway. I still have strong feelings for Mipha. I know it sounds silly since it's been 103 years. But you know all this from our past conversations. Nothing has changed."

"Yes, you're right," said Kodah. "I just keep hoping for your sake you will get some closure and move on. I do feel bad for you. You're a nice person, and you deserved better in life. But of course, so did Lady Mipha. Anyway, enjoy your visit."

Link slept well and had no dreams he remembered that night. Next morning after breakfast, he wandered back to the plaza.

There were the usual people shopping and children running around splashing in the fountain or playing. He didn't see anyone he knew.

He walked up the stairway to the west bridge and made his way across. Then he headed to Veiled Falls. He knew this had been a special place for them, the place they first kissed.

He sat down on the rock that jutted out into the water and thought about her. He didn't expect any new memories to pop up. For now, he just went over what he had learned. He tried to imagine sitting with her here, falling asleep, then waking up and kissing her. Thank Hylia he finally dared to do that! Or was it his usual recklessness? Whatever it was, it was the right thing to do. He should have done it sooner.

After a few more minutes he got up and headed back to the plaza. He planned to cook lunch for himself at the pot near the inn, but on the way back he ran into Gaddison on guard duty.

"Well, well," said Gaddison. "If it isn't the Hylian hero. Back again? You really do like it here, don't you?"

"Yes, I actually do," laughed Link. "This should have been my home. How are you, heroine?"

"Very well," laughed Gaddison. "You remember my brigade title. I'm enjoying being a guard and serving under our captain, Bazz. It reminds me of our old gang. And with monsters gone now, the work is much easier. Are you still trying to remember your past?"

"Yes, as usual," said Link. "I know it sounds pointless."

"No, I understand," said Gaddison. "It's been hard on you, I know. Just remember you have friends here if you need us. We're always willing to spend time with you if you get lonely. Just expect some good-natured teasing now and then."

"I will," said Link. "And I'm getting used to all the teasing. We did have a lot of fun together as kids, didn't we?"

"Yes, and I like it when we get together and reminisce," said Gaddison. "I hope you can join all of us next time."

"I would like that," said Link.

Just then, a guard approached them.

"Excuse me, Master Link, His Majesty would like to speak with you as soon as you are available," said the guard.

"I can come now," said Link. "Bye, Gaddison."

The guard escorted him to the throne room, and both Sidon and King Dorephan were there.

"Ah, Link," said King Dorephan. "Sidon told me you were here and I wanted to make sure I saw you, and you felt welcome. You know I will always make time for you. Besides all you did for the Domain, you are a special person to our family."

"Thank you," said Link. "You always make me feel welcome, though I fear I'm wearing it out by visiting so often."

"Nonsense!" said King Dorephan. "You are always welcome here as often as you want."

They invited him to join them for lunch, and they talked some more.

"I hope you don't mind me coming here and speaking about Mipha," said Link. "I am not sure whether I am opening old wounds for you or not."

"You are not opening old wounds, Link, for my dear Mipha's loss is a wound that never closed," said King Dorephan. "I miss her and think of her often. But speaking with you, the one she loved so much, makes me feel better, especially knowing that you loved her too and still care so much for her."

"And that goes for me as well," said Sidon. "The three of us share a love for my sister, and I draw comfort when we are together."

Afterward, he spent a couple of more days at the Domain, then started feeling guilty taking up so much of people's time. It was time to head back home.

This was the pattern of his life now: visits to Hyrule Castle, Kakariko Village, and Zora's Domain, interspersed with days at home updating his journal and taking care of his house.

Zelda, Impa, and the others were right. He couldn't live this way forever. But he still had hopes Purah and Robbie would make progress. And until he knew for sure they couldn't, he would not give up. He was too attached to Mipha now, and stubbornness was one of his traits.


	7. Time Travel Planning

**Chapter 7 - Time Travel Planning**

 _Summary: Thanks to some recovered documents, Purah learns the secret to the Temple of Time. Queen Zelda meets with Link and the scientists to discuss their plan._

It was almost a year before Dr. Purah next sent him a message to meet at the Lab. He realized Purah had difficulty leaving the lab since she looked like a little girl, so meetings with her always took place there. He was hopeful she had some encouraging news for him.

He arrived at the lab and found a seat. Purah came quickly to the point.

"We have some good news. A while back, the Gerudo recovered some important information from the Yiga Clan hideout where some ancient Sheikah documents had been hidden. We are now able to use the Temple of Time. But we need to meet with Queen Zelda and discuss whether we should and, if so, how. Our research indicates that it is only the Hyrule Hero with the Master Sword and those in his company who can pass through time, and only they will retain any memory of the timeline we are in today. In other words, were you to go back in time and change things, then the present time we are in now would cease to exist, and a new present would eventually occur that would be different from today. Only you would retain some memory of the alternate time we live in today, but it would be only a memory. And were you to tell anyone about the present time as it is today, they would consider it just a story of what might have been had things been different. The people in Hyrule would know nothing of it. As far as they would be concerned, it never happened. Do you understand all this, Link?" Purah asked.

"Yes, I think so," Link answered. All the more reason to write down as much as he could, since he was hopeful his notes would survive with him.

Purah went on, "There is another difference between the Temple of Time and the Timeshift Stones. There will only be one "you" in this scenario. When you go back in time you essentially take the place of the "you" that had existed then, though you will retain your memories of today, limited though some of them are," she added.

"Queen Zelda and Robbie have agreed to meet here in one week to discuss. You, of course, need to be here as well. We thought it best to avoid too much notice of our goings on, so the meeting will be secret. Please think about everything and be prepared to discuss next time," Purah told him.

He said good-bye and headed home. There was indeed much to think about. But on one point he had already made up his mind. Were the venture to succeed, he would not be returning to the present (whatever that would mean). He was going to stay with Mipha in the time he had initially lived, and should have lived, had he not died and been resurrected 100 years later. And if Dr. Purah's anti-aging rune could be perfected with the information he carried back with him, he hoped he could spend even longer with Mipha than a normal Hylian lifespan would allow.

The meeting at the Hateno Ancient Tech lab took place as scheduled. Queen Zelda came secretly, mostly traveling by night. Robbie along with his wife and research assistant, Jerrin, came as well. Symin had made some effort to clean up the lab so everyone could find a place to sit.

Purah led off the discussion.

"Welcome Your Majesty and everyone else to what is probably the most important meeting in our lives. Thanks to the help of Dr. Robbie, we have been able to restore the Temple of Time's primary function," said Purah. "Now you may well ask how we know that, since we haven't all traveled off to a new timeline. We know it because of the readings we can detect from the Temple on the Sheikah Slate and because we tested it. It turns out the Sheikah Slate can be programmed to control the duration of time travel. We planted a small tree in the Temple and sent it back a year. Immediately after activating the device the tree was a year older. We performed some other experiments and are confident time travel will work. So, the question is, what should we do? If there is no objection I have asked Link to speak next to outline his plan."

"Your Majesty and attendees," said Link, "as you know I am not a gifted speaker by any means so I will come straight to the point. My proposal is that I travel back in time to before the Great Calamity, and with the benefit of the hindsight we have gained, alert everyone to Ganon's plans. In that way we could save the Champions from defeat at the hands of Ganon's blight creatures and achieve a much quicker victory over Ganon along the lines of our original plan. Hyrule would not suffer the devastation it did and many lives would be saved."

Queen Zelda spoke up next.

"That is certainly an admirable outcome," said Zelda. "But can we be sure of achieving it? For one thing, will your memory remain intact when you go back in time? That seems key to the success of your plan."

"Your Majesty," said Dr. Purah, "my research indicates it is very likely Link's memory, such as it is, will be retained. However, we also intend to include some written information with Link that will survive his time travel and which he can refer to if needed. I was also planning to send back some research we have conducted on a process to prevent Guardians from being taken over as well as some of my other research notes on my anti-aging rune. My hope is that my notes will prove useful to the Purah of that time period."

"That makes good sense," said Zelda. "So, one way or the other Link will have information on Ganon's attack plans. How certain are we that your Guardian defense process will work?"

"Your Majesty," said Purah, "we cannot be absolutely certain it will work since there is no practical way of testing it against an attack as strong as Ganon's. But we have tested it as well as we could."

"Is that critical to the success of Link's mission?" asked Zelda.

"Your Majesty, I don't think so," said Link. "For the sake of argument assume the defense process Dr. Purah and Dr. Robbie developed fails. Then it becomes our top priority to defeat Ganon as quickly as possible. With the Champions forewarned about the corruption of their Divine Beasts they will not be trapped inside and killed. I will still have the Master Sword at that point. Working with each Champion we can recapture each Divine Beast one by one more easily than I could do it by myself. Then we tackle Ganon. There will be some destruction but not on the scale we lived through last time."

"Alright," said Zelda. "So, the plan is to hope the Guardian defense process works but be prepared if it doesn't. But I have another question. I am trying to imagine how I or the other Champions would react if a person we all know, like Link, suddenly declares he is not who we think he is but from the future. And, moreover, this person suddenly can't remember many things. I think our first inclination would be to believe he suffered a head injury of some kind and was delusional. I don't think we would believe him. Can anyone think of a way to convince everyone of the truth?"

No one spoke for a few minutes. Then Robbie spoke.

"That's an excellent question, Your Majesty," said Robbie. "As you said, we have two problems. The first is Link's actual memory is lacking in many areas. So, compared to the Link of that time period it will appear he suffered some kind of brain damage. And that leads into the second problem. We need Link to be able to present some information to Princess Zelda and the Champions that they would already know to be true but Link could not have otherwise known. That is tricky. It can't be anything that hasn't happened yet in their timeline, but can't be something Link could have known either. I can't think of anything in that category."

No one else could either. They couldn't reach a decision, and everyone decided to sleep on things and discuss with a fresh mind in the morning.

After a night's rest, the meeting resumed next morning.

"I have given some more thought as to how Link might be able to convince his audience of his story's truth," said Zelda. "One item of information that might help is Link's knowledge of what is in my and the other Champions' diaries. The diary entries had already been made by then, but Link would have had no way of knowing their contents at that time."

At this Link shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry about that. I wasn't just nosy: I thought anything I learned from those diaries could be helpful to my mission," said Link. There was an element of truth in that, if not perhaps the whole truth.

"I have no hard feelings about your reading my diary, and I don't think I or three of the Champions in the past will either. But I don't envy you your conversation with Mipha," said Zelda with a laugh.

"Oh," Link said, a small knot in his stomach forming. Now he was a bit sorry he hadn't followed her spirit's wishes when Mipha said: "Don't you dare read it!"

"Anyway, back to the main point," said Zelda. "I think knowledge of their diaries plus whatever else Link can remember would be enough to convince me and the others back then that being cautious about the Guardians and Divine Beasts was wise. So, let's assume Link can convince everyone. What are the next steps?"

"I think the plan will be fairly clear at that point, as I outlined yesterday," said Link. "We can try Purah's defense process. If that works, great. If not, I will join the other Champions in recapturing the Divine Beasts. Together we can make quick work of those disgusting blight creatures. And Mipha will help Princess Zelda understand how to access her sealing power. With the Champions in control of their Divine Beasts, Princess Zelda and I will then tackle Ganon as quickly as possible."

Robbie then spoke up. "Let's discuss this a bit more. Dr. Purah, I would like your opinion on a point I find unclear. Will Link's combat skills still be good enough when he travels to the past? Will he be physically the same as he was then, or instead as he is today? Will only his memory be intact?"

"Based on my researches Link should be physically as he was then," said Purah. "But, Link, it wouldn't hurt to be sure and brush up on your combat skills in the interim, just in case. How long would you need to get back up to form?"

"Not very long," Link said. "I have been trying to keep myself in shape anyway. I think two weeks of intense training would put me back in top form." He planned to do his best to make sure his skills were as good as ever.

"The next point we need to consider," said Robbie, "is at what point in the past Link should be sent. I have some thoughts on this matter. Clearly, it needs to be enough time before the Great Calamity to warn Princess Zelda and the Champions and prepare the new strategy. But I am also concerned about introducing unintended changes to the timeline if Link travels back too much further. The more interaction he has with people there the more chance of something going wrong. So, I would like him to be sent as close to the date of the Great Calamity as possible."

"Would one week be sufficient, do you think?" asked Purah.

"I think so," said Link. "I will meet with Princess Zelda to convene a meeting of the Champions as soon as I get there. That should be enough time to convene a meeting and make new plans."

"One last point," said Dr. Purah. "Unlike the Timeshift Stone process, when Link goes back in time he will take the place of the Link of that time period, not create a duplicate of himself. So, the Link of that period will in essence disappear. Therefore, it would be desirable for no one to witness that, so I recommend Link be sent back late at night when the Link of the past is likely alone and asleep."

Finally, they reached a decision. He would arrive late in the evening at the Temple of Time one week before the Great Calamity.

After two weeks of intense combat training, he was ready and eager to go.


	8. Arrival In The Past

**Chapter 8 - Arrival in the Past**

As planned Link arrived in the past late in the evening at the Temple of Time. He assumed his alter ego had just vanished from Hyrule. It was quiet, and no one saw him. He lit a fire and camped for the rest of the night. Next morning, he managed to capture a horse, then rode to Hyrule Castle. He asked to speak privately with Princess Zelda.

"What is it Link? I am rather busy this morning," Zelda said with annoyance.

"I'm sorry, but I urgently need to speak to you about our plan to defeat Calamity Ganon. And please hear me out. I know this will be challenging for you to accept, but I am not the same Link you know. I have traveled back in time from over one hundred years in the future, a future in which our plan failed," said Link.

"Is this some kind of joke?" said Zelda. "What are your talking about?"

"No. It's not a joke. Our plan to defeat Calamity Ganon is flawed. With the knowledge gained from the Yiga Clan, Ganon intends to take over the Divine Beasts and Guardians. He will turn these machines against us and kill all the Champions. We need to revise our plan. I can try to convince you I am from the future by telling you some things I couldn't otherwise know. For example, I can quote some parts of your diary. You know I could not have gained access to it, given that it's kept in your room and I am not permitted access. I can also quote parts of the Champions' diaries as well."

He then quoted a section of her diary. Zelda turned red, and he sensed she was trying hard to control her temper: something he sincerely hoped she would succeed in doing. Eventually, she must have realized the matter at hand outweighed her embarrassment. She began to accept what he said must be true.

"Alright, Link," she said. "I assume I still call you that, right?"

"Of course, Your Highness," said Link. "I am actually the same person, but it's a long story."

"You can call me Zelda when we're alone," she said. "Did I ever tell you that? Alright, I need to convene a meeting of the four Champions as soon as possible. I also need to discuss this with my father. You should stay here in the Castle until then. Please keep this information to yourself for now."

Zelda arranged for an emergency meeting of the Champions, and two days later they were all assembled at the Castle. Link was seated next to Zelda in a circle with the four Champions. Zelda had kept Link away from them so everyone could hear his story at the same time. So, he had not had an opportunity to speak with Mipha.

Zelda began the meeting. "I have called us all together for this urgent meeting because something extraordinary has occurred. In a moment I will ask Link to explain, but I must warn you first that what he is going to tell us will be difficult to believe. So, I ask that you please let him fully explain and not interrupt. Link, please go ahead."

He stood up and looked around the room at the four Champions: Daruk, Urbosa, Revali and Mipha, his friends and colleagues from his past. He was by no means a gifted public speaker but knew he needed to convince all of them of the truth of what he was about to say.

"As Princess Zelda said, what I am about to tell you will be difficult for you to believe. I am not the same Link you know, though I am the same person. I have used the Temple of Time to return here from over one hundred years in the future after being in a state of healing slumber for one hundred years in the Shrine of Resurrection."

There was some murmuring from the group, but Zelda quieted the room by repeating her request to please hear him out, and Link continued.

"I will attempt to prove that to you in a few minutes, but first let me explain what will happen if we do not alter our plans. Calamity Ganon will emerge in 5 days. However, he has found the ability to infect the Guardians and Divine Beasts with his malice and take control of them. He has also prepared powerful mutations of himself to take control of the Divine Beasts. What happened in the timeline I came from is that Ganon initially succeeded. His mutations infected the Divine Beasts and killed each of you. I was also dying from battling Guardians while trying to protect Princess Zelda. Fortunately, at the last minute, Princess Zelda was able to achieve her power and destroy the field of Guardians. Purah and Robbie then took me to the Shrine of Resurrection, where I lay for one hundred years before awakening. All this time Princess Zelda was able to seal herself and Ganon in Hyrule Castle. I was eventually able to recover the Master Sword and free the Divine Beasts, and your spirits trapped within them, by destroying Ganon's mutations. Finally, Zelda and I finished Calamity Ganon's destruction in Hyrule Field. However, many parts of Hyrule were destroyed, and many lives lost in the meantime. With this knowledge, and possibly an experimental process invented by Dr. Purah and Dr. Robbie to prevent losing control of the Divine Beasts, we can thwart Ganon's plans and save Hyrule."

Revali had been shifting in his seat all this time, looking away and smirking through most of Link's speech. Finally, sensing Link had come to a stopping point, he stood up and spoke. "So, in the future you describe, all of us Champions are going to be utter failures, and you alone emerge as the great hero! I don't believe this and have never heard such nonsense in my life. I, for one, would never be defeated, even by Ganon himself, let alone one of his minions. What proof do you have of this fairy tale?"

He knew something like this was coming. "It's difficult for me to prove this directly since what I am telling you hasn't happened yet from your perspective. So, I need to share information about something that has already occurred, and you know about, but I couldn't know about unless I came from the future. The other problem, which some of you may say sounds too convenient (at this he glanced at Revali), is that when I awoke from the Shrine of Resurrection, I had complete amnesia. I have been struggling ever since to recover my memories but am still missing most of them. So, the only thing we thought might help convince you is my knowledge of your diaries, or in Daruk's case what he likes to call his training manual. As you know, the Link you knew would never have had a chance to read those documents, but I can quote some passages from them," Link said.

He quoted a passage or two from each of their diaries. The room was quiet, and Urbosa was the first to speak.

"Those are the very words I wrote, and I don't see how you could know that unless you are telling the truth. I, for one, believe you," said Urbosa.

Daruk agreed with her. Mipha lowered her head, looking somewhat sad and embarrassed. Then she quietly said, "I believe you as well."

Revali then spoke up again. "Well, you may be right about the other three, but I never wrote any of the things you mentioned, so someone has misrepresented me. However, I never placed a lot of confidence in those mechanical devices to defend us anyway, so I agree it would be wise to consider updating our plans."

"Alright," said Zelda. "It's getting late, and we need fresh minds. Let's adjourn our meeting until tomorrow morning."

Revali immediately left for his room, but Daruk and Urbosa came over to speak with Link. He said how happy he was to see them both again, but his mind was elsewhere. He kept glancing around the room as they spoke, unsuccessfully looking for Mipha. He needed to talk to her.

"Urbosa and Daruk, I'm sorry, I do want to speak with you further, but right now I need to talk with Mipha if I can find her," said Link.

Urbosa smiled at him, saying, "Yes, that might be a good idea. Especially after that diary revelation. Good luck!"

He went outside and finally found Mipha walking alone near one of the fountains in the courtyard. She looked up to see him but said nothing.

"Mipha, can I speak with you? I'm sorry I read your diary and embarrassed you. You have to understand that at the time that happened you were gone, and I had lost almost all memory of you. In fact, much of my memory of our time together is still gone. I wanted to learn anything I could about you. Your father permitted me to read it and thought you would forgive me. I hope he was right."

"I'm embarrassed, but I'm sure I'll get over it. We all have bigger things to worry about right now. Anyway, that's not what's bothering me," Mipha said.

She paused for a moment and looked him in the eyes.

"My meeting a few days ago at Ruta was with you, wasn't it?" said Mipha.

"Yes," said Link. "I couldn't tell you then. I used a Timeshift Stone to travel back in time. At that point, we weren't sure Purah and Robbie could get the Temple of Time to work again, and using a Timeshift Stone was part of their research. I was forbidden to discuss anything about the future with you. The chance to be with you again after almost three years of having lost you meant everything to me. I'm sorry I couldn't be fully truthful with you about it."

"I sensed something was different. My feelings are a little confused right now. I am in love with the Link I knew, but are you truly the person I know and love? You don't even remember much of our time together. I need some time to deal with this," said Mipha.

"Mipha, I hope I am, or can come to be, the Link you love. But I can promise you that I am the Link who loves you," said Link. "My feelings for you are as strong as ever."

"I'm sorry, I need some time. Good night," said Mipha. She walked off to return to her room at the Castle.

Next morning Mipha took Zelda aside before the meeting started.

"Princess," said Mipha, "may I have a word?"

"Of course, Mipha," said Zelda.

"I don't know if this will help you access your power," said Mipha, "but I access mine by imagining I am saving a person I love. I have been shy about telling you this because, well, because the person I think about is Link. I thought perhaps we might be competing for Link's affections at one time, but I no longer feel that way."

"Thank you for telling me," said Zelda. "I know that wasn't easy for you. You know Link and I are together so much, and I understand what you must have felt. I will try what you suggested."

Zelda concentrated and thought back to the time Link saved her from a Yiga Clan ambush. She was overcome with feelings for him then. She wasn't sure it was love exactly, but it was close enough. She could feel a power rising within her. She raised her right hand, and the golden image of the Triforce glowed clearly on the back of her palm. If she didn't stop, she would release a burst of energy. This was the power she had been praying for! She lowered her hand. Her power would work when needed.

"Thank you, Mipha," said Zelda. "You may have just saved us all."

The meeting resumed, and there was agreement that they should accept Link's information as accurate. Therefore the topic of today's discussion would be implementing a revised plan that did not count on controlling the Guardians and Divine Beasts upon Ganon's attack.

As a first step, the Sheikah staff would be ordered to deactivate and disable all the Guardians. While the original plan was to use the Guardians to defend against Ganon, it was too risky now to leave them in working order.

"That is a wise precaution," said Link. "But Ganon was able to control other Guardians that emerged from beneath Hyrule Castle, so we need to be aware of that risk as well."

Secondly, they would evacuate Hyrule Castle and the nearby area so Ganon would end up attacking an empty building.

The next step needed to happen quickly, but they would enter each Divine Beast and reprogram the main control unit using Dr. Purah's defense rune. Then they would leave the Divine Beast empty, and each Champion would wait nearby.

Link would remain with the appointed Champion of one of the Divine Beasts. They chose Vah Ruta as the first one, which made Link happy since saving Mipha was his primary personal objective. They would then wait for Ganon's attack.

If the Champions saw that Purah's defense worked, then they could safely enter their Divine Beast and use it to destroy the creature Ganon had sent to occupy it. If Purah's program did not work, then Link and Mipha would enter Vah Ruta and together take control of it. When they accomplished this, Mipha would remain with Vah Ruta. Link would then travel to the other three Divine Beasts as quickly as possible and repeat the process. Revali needed some convincing, but in the end, Zelda was firm, reminding him that her father had appointed her the leader of the Champions: if Purah's defense failed no Champion was to enter their Divine Beast until Link arrived. In the meantime, Zelda would wait near Hyrule Castle to be ready when it was time to use her power to seal him. Once all the Divine Beasts were under their control, Link would join Zelda in confronting Ganon at Hyrule Castle. The Divine Beasts would aid in the attack from a distance. Then they would all finally put an end to Ganon.

The meeting adjourned, and everyone got busy. There was a lot to do and only four days to do it in.


	9. Victory and Celebration

**Chapter 9 - Victory and Celebration**

Mipha and Link waited on the northwest pier of East Reservoir Lake. Today was the day Ganon would attack.

"I'm going to board Ruta and activate the main control unit with Purah's defense program as we discussed," said Mipha.

"And I'm coming with you," said Link. "I don't want to take any chances our timing is off, and Ganon's blight creature arrives with you there alone. I worked very hard to get us to this position, and I am not going to jeopardize everything now."

"Alright," said Mipha. "I'll pull you along."

Mipha and Link dove into the water and Mipha swam to Ruta, pulling Link with one arm. They both climbed aboard, and as soon as they entered, Link shuddered. He remembered Ruta from four years ago in his timeline, and it made him feel sick inside. The last time he was here it was crawling with malice and Guardian Scouts. But that was not what bothered him. Malice and Guardian Scouts were nothing to be afraid of. What bothered him was what he had heard and the scene that played out just before he left Ruta that last time.

Ruta had been the first Divine Beast he sought to take back from Ganon's control, and he didn't know what to expect. He had thought Prince Sidon would work together with him on restoring Ruta. And Sidon had indeed worked with him to overcome Ruta's outer defenses. But after Ruta's defenses were shut down, Sidon had given him only words of encouragement to deal with the inside of Ruta. Sidon looked fearful, seemingly anxious to distance himself from Ruta and wait for Link back at the Domain. Link had been left there all alone. He activated the terminal at the entrance and then heard a familiar voice in his head. "You're here!" she had said, and her tone was one of surprise and happiness. He recognized that voice from his memory of her. It was Mipha.

After that, her voice guided and encouraged him through the places he needed to go to take back control of Ruta. He thought she must be alive after all, as her father had hoped, trapped somewhere, but able to communicate with him through Ruta somehow. Finally, he activated the main control unit and had his battle with Waterblight Ganon. He was victorious! He had defeated their enemy.

Now, where was Mipha? But before he could savor his victory and search for her, he heard her voice once again. "Hello, Link," she had said. And then he saw her spirit, and he realized that what everyone had feared was true: Mipha was dead. He stood speechless, in shock, as he listened to her and received her gift of healing. Through some magic, he found himself disappearing. And when he reappeared, he was outside Ruta, and she was gone. To him, Ruta had been haunted.

Now it was eerily quiet inside Ruta, and the sound of their footsteps in the water echoed off the walls of this cavernous device. The only other sound was the splash of water flowing in another room. They both started walking to the central terminal at the rear of the bottom floor. Mipha seemed quite calm, totally at ease with her Divine Beast. But Link remained on edge. He realized it didn't make sense, but muscle memory of the time he spent inside Ruta made him wary. He reached back and took comfort in feeling his sword was handy.

Finally, they reached the central terminal. Mipha started working with it and activated Purah's defense system.

"Alright, Purah's system is activated," said Mipha.

"I just said a short prayer to Hylia that it works," said Link. "Let's get out of here now."

They retraced their steps to Ruta's entrance, then dove into the water and swam back to the northwest pier.

"So now we wait," said Link.

"You were very nervous inside Ruta," said Mipha. "You shouldn't be afraid of her."

"It wasn't really fear," said Link. "It was the terrible memories I have of the last time I was there."

"I wish I could cure your mind. Do you want to talk about it?" asked Mipha.

"I do, and I don't," said Link. "For someone with so many memory problems, I wish this was one I could forget. In my original timeline, Ruta was the last time you spoke to me face to face, or rather your spirit did. I carried that heartbreak with me all this time. But that hasn't happened now and, with Hylia's help, I will do everything in my power to make sure it never does."

Mipha and Link continued to wait on the pier.

"What happens next?" asked Mipha.

"From what I recall, Ganon emerges from under Hyrule Castle, and waves of purple malice spew out across Hyrule infecting all the Guardians and Divine Beasts. Four horrible creatures of his take over the Divine Beasts. We should be able to see what happens to Ruta from here," said Link.

"What is the creature Ganon sends to Ruta like?" asked Mipha.

"It's a disgusting looking monstrosity with one eye that can shoot an energy beam. It also wields a giant spear and can summon blocks of ice," said Link.

"Are you sure you can handle it? Do you need me to help?" asked Mipha.

"I can handle it alone," said Link. "I've practiced destroying it many times. If it cannot enter Ruta, then I need you to take over Ruta. If it can enter Ruta, then you and I will battle it together."

They waited in silence. Suddenly there was a distant roaring sound. The sky darkened, and waves of purple malice could be seen shooting through the air, originating from west of them, the direction of Hyrule Castle. Ganon's attack had begun.

A large mass of purple malice streaked from the sky toward them. It collided with Ruta, but instead of infecting it as the creature expected, it bounced off and landed in the lake. Then it rose up out of the water with a horrible screeching sound and looked around.

"It looks like Purah's defense is working," shouted Link above the noise.

"I need to get back inside Ruta," said Mipha.

"Yes," said Link, "but I am not letting you get anywhere near that thing. I'll distract it by luring it closer to land here. When I have its full attention, you swim around the side and approach Ruta out of sight of that thing. Promise me you'll be safe."

"I promise," said Mipha. "Stay safe yourself."

Link remembered Waterblight Ganon very well. He had practiced defeating it several times, and he was better armed now than he was then. He started by shooting it in the eye with some arrows. The creature saw him now and approached closer to land. It swung its massive spear at Link, but Link was able to dodge it. Then Link launched some more arrows at it as he moved further back on the pier out of reach.

The creature seemed reluctant to follow Link, though. It must be under Ganon's orders to infect Ruta and was struggling to know what to do. Hence it stayed near Ruta. Link could not reach it out on the water with his sword, but he had plenty of arrows. Mipha was nowhere to be seen. She must be swimming underwater. Link let loose with a barrage of bomb arrows. That got the creature's attention. It started forming ice blocks and hurling them at Link. He did not have a Sheikah Slate or any defensive runes, so he relied on arrows to destroy the blocks. Then he again attacked the creature with a barrage of bomb arrows. He sensed it was weakening.

Waterblight Ganon approached closer to the pier and then began to energize its laser beam. Link quickly put away his bow and prepared his shield to deflect the ray back. But his timing was off, and the beam knocked him to the ground, searing his shoulder. He groaned, his shoulder burning from the pain. He could hear the creature energizing its weapon again for another strike. He needed to get up and get his shield in position to deflect it. But he was still struggling to his feet, the pain in his shoulder, making it hard to push himself up. If he couldn't get up in time, he would have to try diving out of the way at the last second. He could hear the pitch of the energy beam increasing as it approached firing.

Suddenly there was another sound, the sound of a giant machine in motion. Ruta's head was turning to face Waterblight Ganon. The noise distracted the creature as well. It turned to look when Ruta fired a powerful beam of blue energy. The ray struck Waterblight Ganon, and it howled with pain. The beam continued to pour down onto the creature until, with a final horrible scream, the creature dissolved into a purple ball and then collapsed into nothingness. Ruta's beam stopped, and the lake was quiet again.

Link saw Mipha emerge from Ruta. She dove into the water, and he never saw anyone swim so fast. She was by his side in a matter of seconds.

"You're hurt," said Mipha. "Let me help you."

Mipha's hand glowed with her healing power as she waved it across the ugly burn marks on his shoulder. Soon the wound was healed, and the scars were gone.

"Thank you, Mipha," said Link. "I'm glad you can still do that."

"So am I," said Mipha. "I wasn't sure I could."

"We did it," said Link. "Purah's defense worked. You need to lock Ruta's targeting beam onto Hyrule Castle. I hope the other Champions are having equal success. But I need to go to Hyrule Castle now so Princess Zelda and I can finish this."

"Yes, I understand," said Mipha. "And I will get Ruta in position to aid you. I pray Hylia will protect you and return you safely."

The details of Zelda, Link and the Champions defeat of Ganon are recorded in the annals of Hyrule history, so Link was not going to repeat any more of it here in his notes. Suffice it to say that with the knowledge Link brought back in time with him they were successful. Purah's defensive rune worked, and Ganon and the Yiga Clan ended up being the ones surprised.

When it was over, Zelda and Link stood together in Hyrule Field, any residual purple malice gradually disappearing from land and sky. Zelda turned to Link and smiled. Then they hugged each other and congratulated one another. Their plan had worked, and Hyrule was safe. It was time to restore order and then celebrate.

It was a week later that King Rhoam presided over a grand celebration at Hyrule Castle. Banners blew in the breeze, and people crowded Castle Town for the party. The Champions were all given a place of honor on the platform where King Rhoam spoke, thanking them for their heroic efforts. Hyrule was now at peace, and they needn't worry about Ganon for a long time.

Each village also had a celebration honoring their individual Champion. Link could not attend all of them, so he chose the one at Zora's Domain. Mipha was obviously the star of the ceremony, as King Dorephan praised his daughter for her role in Ganon's defeat. Link remained in the audience applauding for her, but after the ceremony, she did not stop to speak with him but instead left to be with her family. She had clearly not come to terms with who he was or come to accept him as the person she knew and loved.

Link returned to Hyrule Castle, and since Princess Zelda no longer needed a personal guardian, he obtained King Rhoam's permission to leave his duties. He returned to Zora's Domain where he hoped he could be together with Mipha again at some point.


	10. Together

**Chapter 10 – Together**

The victory celebrations were over and life began to return to normal throughout Hyrule. Their victory had come so relatively easily, certainly compared to the other timeline, that most people did not appreciate the extent of the danger that had been averted. Link, freed of his responsibility to guard Princess Zelda, decided to remain in Zora's Domain, hoping he could restore his relationship with Mipha somehow.

Looking back, this was probably the hardest time for him. He had done all he could to be together with Mipha, but he could not claim he was the same person she had been with before the time travel event. He had been that person once, 104 years ago in his reckoning of time. But that person no longer existed and he had taken his place. He had always naively assumed that Mipha would accept him as if nothing happened.

But what if she couldn't accept him? He realized now it was a lot to ask of her, to overlook his memory loss of all their time together. And how did she feel about his TimeShift Stone visit with her at Ruta? Had that been wrong of him, to pretend he was the person she had just been with a week before? He was that person in a sense, but he couldn't even remember what had happened. Did she look back at that visit now as if she had been violated, like substituting a twin brother for a husband? He had wanted to be honest with her then, but Purah had forbidden it. Purah had looked on his visit with her as an experiment, a test of the TimeShift Stone technology on the way to restoring the Temple of Time. But it was much more than an experiment to him. It was a chance to be with the person he loved. But how did she feel about all this now? What a cruel joke it would be if he ended up alone again.

Mipha continued to have a good deal of responsibility as the future Zora leader. While combat training was no longer a priority, she was very active in the Zora government, and committee meetings consumed a good deal of her time each day. She also liked to spend time with her little brother, Sidon. Since their mother had passed, Mipha took the place of both mother and big sister to Sidon, and did her best to help her busy father raise him.

Link, of course, still lacked many memories of the past, and people believed this was due to injuries he suffered in his final battles with Ganon. Only those few people he had explained his story to knew the truth. He continued to wander around near the Domain alone, trying to recover his memories, and speaking to whomever he could. But he wasn't getting anywhere. Finally, he approached Mipha after she had finished a meeting with her father.

"Princess Mipha, I know you are very busy, but can I speak with you?" said Link.

"Of course," said Mipha with a smile. "And simply Mipha is fine."

"I know you still feel I am not the same person you knew, and it doesn't help that my memory of our time together is so lacking. But I truly am the same person. When you are not too busy, would you be willing to set aside any spare time you have to help me recover my memories? I cannot give up on what I know we once had," Link said.

Mipha thought for a moment. "Alright, let's spend an hour each day together to work on this. We can visit different places, and I will help you try to remember. We can see what happens. Let's start tomorrow."

"Thank you!" said Link.

Next morning Mipha met Link in the plaza.

"I think we will work our way chronologically," said Mipha. "When you were very young, you used to have some Zora playmates, and I thought I would help you learn to swim. Let's walk over to East Reservoir Lake, and I will show you where it happened. Perhaps it will help your recollection."

They walked over to the northwest pier of East Reservoir Lake.

"It was right here," said Mipha. "It took a lot of effort for me to figure out how to teach you to swim. Sadly you lack fins and webbed feet. I held you as you learned to kick and pull yourself through the water. Eventually, we figured it out together how best to have you swim. Do you remember any of that?"

"No, I'm sorry, I don't," said Link.

"Well, we will keep trying," said Mipha. "We have time for one more location today."

Mipha took Link to a place where she said he had fallen while climbing and she healed him. He told her he couldn't remember that, either.

"Well, I am not entirely surprised at that," laughed Mipha. "There were many times I healed you, and it would be hard to pick out only one. I remember this one because of how brave you were. It was quite a bad bruise, but you never cried. Well, that is all I have time for today. We can continue tomorrow."

"Thank you, Mipha, it means a lot to me you taking time to do this," said Link.

Next morning they met in the plaza again.

"Ready to try some more?" said Mipha.

"Yes, and thank you for being so patient with me," said Link.

"Let's start right here in the Domain," said Mipha. "Follow me."

Mipha led Link up one of the waterways, the channels down which water flowed into the plaza level, then stopped at the top.

"You were still quite small, but we slid down these together," said Mipha. "I held you in front of me and we both laughed as we glided down the curved waterway. You kept wanting to do it over and over. But eventually my father saw us and told me my behavior was unbecoming of a princess. Do you remember any of that?"

"I'm sorry, I don't," said Link. " I hope I didn't get you in trouble."

"No," laughed Mipha. "My father understood. Come, I might have time for two more locations today."

So, each day they would travel to a different location around Zora's Domain, and Mipha would tell him some things they had done together there. Usually, whatever she told him was brand new information to him. Sometimes she brought up something he remembered on his own, and his excitement at the accomplishment was like a schoolboy proud of giving the right answer in class. She would laugh then, and say, "See, we're making progress!"

He kept hoping she would come to accept him as before but understood he couldn't rush things: she had to do all this on her own terms, in her own time and her own way. Her kindness and caring nature made her want to help him.

It was after the first week or so of doing this together that he noticed a small change in her mannerism. It was on a visit together to Ralis Pond.

"We came here several times at different times of your life," said Mipha. "But there was one time when you were a bit older and we stayed out late. Sunset Fireflies started to appear and you challenged me to see which of us could collect more. Amazingly enough, we tied at the very end. You said something nice then, that it was a sign we were good together, natural companions. Do you remember any of that, Link?"

Again Link had to admit he didn't. But he realized she had suddenly called him Link. Until now she had avoided using his name at all as if it really wasn't his. He thought her reliving their times together was helping her as much as it was helping him. And on the few occasions that he did remember something she told him about, he felt he was helping break down a wall in her attitude toward him, and that it helped her convince herself that he was the same person.

And Link was right. Mipha had indeed been experiencing a change in her feelings. As she spent time with Link each day, it all started coming back. Maybe her feelings had never left, and they just needed time to restore themselves. He had the same boyish good looks, the same cute smile, the same mannerisms, and the same kind, gentle and respectful way he dealt with her, so grateful for the time she was spending with him. And yet he wasn't the same. She could see it when they spoke about the past. He would listen to what she told him, then look off into the distance thinking, trying to piece what she had told him with the other tangled strands of his memory he had recovered. And she could feel that this version of Link had suffered, had felt the pain of loss, her loss. She could see that sadness in his eyes sometimes, something she had never seen there before. This was a more mature version of the Link she had known, one who had lived through a terrible time and could never really forget it. He had done all he could to make things right for everyone. But he could never make things entirely right for himself. He alone carried the memory and the pain of those terrible events he sometimes spoke to her about. She tried to look at how things must be from his point of view, and she felt herself falling in love all over again. Deep down, it was the same him. And he loved her.

He remembered the turning point. He was on one of his walks with Mipha in the area around Zora's Domain, and they ended up at the bottom of Veiled Falls. There was a pool of water at the base of the waterfall and grass and trees in the area around it. It was close to the Domain but far enough away to offer some privacy. It was just the kind of place two lovers might choose to be alone together.

"Let's stop here, Link," said Mipha. "Come, sit with me."

He sat down beside her on a large rock jutting into the water. It was a beautiful day as the waterfall threw up a foamy white spray, and the sun sparkled on the water.

"Do you remember anything at all about this place and what it meant for us?" asked Mipha.

"I don't actually remember it, but your spirit told me this is where we first kissed," said Link. "I'm sorry I can't remember. I wish I could. It's a beautiful location."

"Yes, it's where we kissed for the first time and shared our feelings for each other," said Mipha.

She smiled gently, her golden eyes looking straight into his. He looked back into her eyes and started feeling warm inside. She looked so irresistible!

"Mipha, can we start again? I hope you know it's really me. I love you so much," said Link.

He leaned forward and kissed her. She returned his kiss, and they embraced.

"I love you too," said Mipha as she smiled at him. "I know it really is you after all."

"Thank Hylia! Thank Hylia!" exclaimed Link. "I thought you might never come to accept me. I've lived for this moment for so long, for over four years. I haven't stopped thinking about you, dreaming about you and loving you all that time, though it's only been weeks for you. I love you so, so much, Mipha! I never want us to be apart."

Then he reached for her and they kissed again, and again, and again.

"We won't be apart now, sweetheart," said Mipha. "We have each other now and always will. Let's go back to the Domain now. There's something I would like to give you."

The held hands as they walked back to Zora's Domain and then to an area near the throne room. Mipha told him to wait, while she went back and returned in a few minutes with a bundle.

"Link, I want you to have this," said Mipha. "Again, I might add."

She handed him the bundle. He unwrapped it and saw the finely crafted set of blue and silver Zora armor he remembered. It was indeed a labor of love. And, of course, he knew exactly what it meant.

"You don't need to say anything. I know what this means, and you've made me happier than you know. Of course, I accept it, Mipha, and I will always cherish it and you," said Link.

He reached forward, they embraced and kissed with a passion he did remember.

"You don't remember, but this is the second time you accepted this Armor. I'm glad you haven't changed your mind! But this is the last time you're going to put me through all this drama," Mipha laughed.

"I promise!" laughed Link. "I think our relationship has had enough drama to last a lifetime, or maybe two. Should we be thinking about a wedding date now?"

"We can speak with Father about it," said Mipha. "We should be able to marry in a couple of weeks time. But until then you owe me some romantic time together. You don't know what you put me through!"

"I know, and I'm sorry," said Link. "But I've dreamt of this moment for so long, I'm still floating with joy."

"That's a nice Zora way of putting it," said Mipha. "Let's go tell Father."

"I assume he will approve, right?" said Link.

"Well, there is only one way to find out," said Mipha taking his hand.

Link was starting to get nervous.

"Mipha, don't you have any idea at all about how your father feels about us marrying?" said Link. "It didn't come up in conversation at all?"

"Well, I have some idea how he feels," said Mipha. "But that was about the original Link. I haven't specifically spoken to him about you."

"But I am me!" said Link. "I mean I am the original Link just older in a sense. So he should feel the same way toward me, right?"

"You would think so, wouldn't you?" said Mipha as she smiled at him.

"Mipha, please don't put me through this," said Link. "Your father is a rather imposing figure. I would not like to see him upset with me."

"Show some courage! I'm just teasing you, sweetheart," laughed Mipha. "Father will be thrilled. Don't worry."

Mipha squeezed his hand and Link let out a sigh of relief. When they reached the throne room King Dorephan saw them enter holding hands. He realized what must have happened and burst into a smile.

"Father, I have some wonderful news," said Mipha. "Link and I are to be married!"

"That is indeed wonderful and very welcome news!" said King Dorephan. "I am so happy for you both. Congratulations! And welcome to the family, Link."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," said Link. "And I couldn't be happier."

"We were wondering if it was possible to have the wedding in a couple of weeks," said Mipha.

"Yes, we can manage that," said King Dorephan. "Leave everything to me. Just let me know whom to invite."

The next two weeks together were a romantic interlude of sorts when as an engaged couple they could relax together, swim, hike and simply enjoy each other's company. They spent it exploring areas around the Domain, with Mipha sometimes telling him of past times they had spent there.

When their wedding day finally came, the Champions all attended as did Princess Zelda. Kapson, the Zora priest, was to perform the ceremony. Link thought it a happy irony that the wedding service was taking place where Mipha's memorial statue had stood in his former timeline. The plaza was quite crowded: a royal wedding didn't happen very often. Zelda and the other Champions stood near the front. Link wore the full Zora armor, and his beautiful princess fiancée wore her Zora headdress.

Zora wedding customs were somewhat similar to Hylian, but not quite so formal. There was no exchange of rings, and there was no wedding party. Zoras loved music, so there would be some of that, and of course, there were marriage vows.

Link stood in the plaza before Kapson awaiting Mipha's entrance. The Zora musicians played a song which Link took to be their equivalent of a wedding march, and Mipha and her father, King Dorephan, advanced across the plaza. As they walked past the audience, the Zoras bowed their head in respect for the King. Zoras did not typically kneel except in certain formal situations. Eventually, King Dorephan walked Mipha to Link and then stepped aside.

Link glanced over at Mipha, and she looked back and gave him a quick smile. If he thought she looked beautiful before, she looked radiant now. Kapson asked the crowd for silence, then began the ceremony.

"It is my great honor and pleasure to perform this ceremony that will seal before Nayru the marriage of Lady Mipha and Link. I ask all of you in the audience to remain silent while I ask Link and Lady Mipha to repeat the marriage oath," said Kapson.

Link went first.

"I, Link, do swear before Nayru and all those present to take Mipha to be my wife and to be a faithful and loving husband to her as long as we both shall live."

Next, it was Mipha's turn.

"I, Mipha, do swear before Nayru and all those present to take Link to be my husband and to be a faithful and loving wife to him as long as we both shall live."

"By the authority granted to me as Zora priest, I now pronounce Lady Mipha and Link to be married before Nayru and the Zora Kingdom," said Kapson.

Link reached over and kissed Mipha while the crowd erupted in applause.

"Mipha, I have never been happier than this moment. I love you so much," said Link.

"I'm glad you found some words," laughed Mipha. "But I am the happiest I have ever been too, and I love you with all my heart."

They kissed again. Soon everyone was congratulating them. Sidon came over to Link and hugged him.

"I just got a big brother," said Sidon.

"You sure did, Sidon," said Link hugging him back. "And I just got a little brother. I hope we can have a lot of fun playing together."

"Welcome to the family," said King Dorephan. "You have made my daughter very happy and me as well."

"I am honored, Your Majesty," said Link. "Your daughter has made me the happiest I have ever been."

It was time for the reception, which would be held right in the same plaza. There was plenty of food and dancing. Link was not a good dancer, but he did his best. It was the first time he danced with Mipha.

"So we finally get to dance together," said Link. "I apologize for not being very good at it."

"No problem," said Mipha. "Just follow my lead. We Zoras love music so much Royal Family names follow musical scales. But relax and listen to the music. This is one of my all time favorite songs. It's called 'Waves of Love,' and I used to think of you every time I heard it. Now I can finally enjoy it with you as husband and wife."

"It is a beautiful piece of music. And I think the speeches start after our dance," said Link. "That's another great reason to keep dancing."

The dance finally ended, and each Champion gave a short speech. Revali went first, and given their history Link was not sure what to expect.

 _I am sure I don't need to introduce myself since everyone knows me as the famous Rito Champion Revali. I am happy to see Mipha and Link married. Mipha has always been a kind and caring person, but I have also admired her ability to excel as a Champion. I have to admit she mastered her Divine Beast before even I could. Link and I have had our differences in the past since neither of us wants to be number two. But I have to say Link has done well for himself and I respect his accomplishments. He and Mipha will always be welcome at Rito Village, and I wish them a long and happy life together._

It was Daruk's turn next.

 _I am not very good at speeches. I have always liked Mipha and thought of Link as my "little guy" friend. They make a great couple, and I'm thrilled they're married now. May they be happy together. And, Mipha and Link, if you ever have time to visit me in Goron City, you would be very welcome. Oh, remember to bring a lot of elixirs._

Urbosa was next.

 _Vasaaq everyone! And congratulations to the newlyweds! I have suspected Mipha had feelings for Link for some time now, and I am so happy to see Link finally came to return her love and recognize how lucky he is to have such a beautiful, caring and loving a person as his wife. Most of you don't realize Link traveled a harder road then you know to get here, but I am sure he is happy now that he did. They are both wonderful people and very deserving of each other. I know Zoras can't visit the desert, so I don't expect the newlyweds to visit me. But I offer them my sincerest best wishes for the happiest of lives together._

Finally, it was Princess Zelda's turn. Of all the guests, she was the person Link felt closest to.

 _I wish to extend my congratulations as well as that of my father, King Rhoam, to Mipha and Link on this special day in their lives. We both wish them well and want them to know they are always welcome at Hyrule Castle. I consider both Mipha and Link to be good friends. I have not known Link as long as Mipha has known him since they were childhood friends. And what a rare treat it is to see childhood friends grow up to be sweethearts and eventually marry. But I have known Link for a long time and under unique circumstances. When I was 16, my father assigned him as my knight to protect me throughout my travels across Hyrule. We have spent many days together and traveled far, often in dangerous situations. In that time together, I have come to know Link and respect him as a selfless champion. Lady Urbosa spoke of how lucky Link was to marry someone as wonderful and caring and loving as Mipha, and indeed he is fortunate. But I want to say that Mipha is also lucky to have as a husband someone I can attest with all my heart is loyal and selfless in the face of overwhelming danger. Link has put his life on the line for me countless times without any concern for his safety. And he has never, ever, let me down amidst all the perils we faced. I want you to know, Mipha, you have married someone who will always be there for you when you need him and will do whatever he can to care for and protect you. My best wishes for a long and happy life together. To Mipha and Link!_

The crowd cheered. After the speeches, there was some more dancing, and the party went on into the night. Link saw Zelda talking with Urbosa, then Urbosa left to get some refreshment. He walked over to Zelda.

"Your Highness," said Link. "May I have the honor of the next dance with you?"

"Of course, Link," Zelda laughed. "How could I pass up a dance with you on this special day!"

Link took Zelda's hand, and they walked to the dance floor in the center of the plaza. The music began, and it was a slow dance. They held each other.

"That was a beautiful speech," said Link. "Thank you so much for coming. It means a lot to me."

"I meant every word of it," said Zelda. "And I'm happy to be here. I hope you know how special you are to me. The experiences we shared are once in a lifetime, or maybe twice in your case, but they are something I will never forget. What we did together was extraordinary! Together with our Champion friends, we saved Hyrule. The last time that happened was over ten thousand years ago."

They continued to hold each other as they danced.

"Yes, what we did we will never do again," said Link. "You're very special to me as well. I miss the talks we used to have during our travels. It's too bad you're so far away and so busy. Talking again sometimes would be nice."

"You and Mipha are always welcome, and I am never too busy for you," said Zelda. "And I don't mind visiting Zora's Domain. It's beautiful here. And they do know how to party!"

The music was ending. Link had a feeling he couldn't put into words that something in his life he didn't quite understand was also coming to an end. Not that the rest of his life wouldn't be happy. And it wasn't about romance. He loved Mipha dearly. But what he and Zelda shared would never happen again, and their relationship was unique.

"Thank you, Zelda, for the dance and everything," said Link. "I do miss you."

"And I you," said Zelda. "But enjoy your life with Mipha now. We shall meet again."

The party was starting to wind down. The oldest and youngest guests had already left. Mipha and Link went around together, thanked everyone for coming, and wished them goodnight. They were planning to travel overland to Lanayru Bay tomorrow morning and then take a boat to Lurelin Village where they would spend five days relaxing. At Lurelin Village the seacoast and weather were beautiful, there was plenty of fresh fruit and fish, and they could enjoy swimming together. It was a favorite honeymoon spot.

After saying goodnight to the remaining guests, Mipha and Link headed back to where they could sleep, holding hands.

"I cannot believe this day is finally here," said Link.

"I cannot believe it either," said Mipha. "Once I fell in love with you, I always hoped this day would come but feared it never would. We spent many happy days together growing up and grew very close. But I was never sure, with you being a Hylian, you would ever return my feelings. I missed you so much when you were gone and was thrilled every time you returned here. After you became a Champion and Zelda's knight I feared you would be injured in your travels and I would not be there to help you, or you would develop feelings for someone else while we were apart. But then you finally told me you loved me on that special day together at Veiled Falls when we kissed for the first time. In the end, you stayed true to your heart as I stayed true to mine, and now, we can be together."

"I'm glad I did stay true to my heart. But you don't know how hard I worked to get here in the other timeline! The loneliness of waking up with no memories and no friends, and the few people who recognized me blaming me for my failure. The many Sheikah Shrines I had to work through, the endless Guardian, Lynel and other monster battles, the long journeys alone through scorching hot and freezing cold deserts, snowy mountains, burning lava fields, and deep forests, and all the time with monsters hiding, ready to attack on sight. Sleeping alone at remote stables or camping out alone in the wilderness with the rain or snow blowing around me and finding new weapons to replace the broken ones and searching for food and armor. And, worst of all, freeing the four Divine Beasts from the malignant creatures Ganon spawned and finding out my Champion friends had all perished a hundred years before. It was the most horrible life I could imagine!" said Link.

"Was it all worth it? Would you do it again?" asked Mipha.

"In a heartbeat," said Link, leaning over to kiss her.

"Oh, by the way, what is your favorite flower?" said Link.

"Blue Nightshade," said Mipha. "Why?"

"It's something I've been meaning to ask you for a very long time and keep forgetting," said Link. "That's a beautiful flower. I like it too."


End file.
